


Mistress of the Seas

by LittleMissHeartfillia



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, F/M, Multi, Pirate AU, like some fantasy but almost all angst, this is a big undertaking on my part
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-07-01 23:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 32,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15784218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissHeartfillia/pseuds/LittleMissHeartfillia
Summary: Natsu Dragneel becomes master of his ship Fairy Tail, after the tragic death of their Master Markorov. Since then the pirates have earned quite the reputation for pirating the seven seas. The young crew soon finds, though, that Lucy was born for greater tasks then being a pirate.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have big plans for this fic so y'all better be prepared to read some hard core angst

Sea foam, green as the swamps yet transparent like the sea around it, circulates around the ship's hull. The wind blows viciously, carrying the massive ship across the vast oceans. Gale forces rip the ships flag this way and that. Displayed in dark colors, with a darker border, on the flag is the insignia pirates and fisherman alike have come to fear.

Fairy Tail's majesty strikes terror in the hearts of beasts, every fisherman knows they are danger, their Captains alone could be enough to bring an army to its knees. Fairy Tail carries it's reputation like a badge of honor as the ship cuts through the waters. Red hair whipped around in the wind like the ship's flag, a strong lass with an eagle stare stood at the hull of the ship, barking orders to all hands on deck. She orders to shipmates to sail faster, they must to meet up with their master as quick as possible, wind or no wind.

Water logged and dirt stained, Lucy's boots came down like an iron fist on the chest of their latest victim. She smiled, letting her face conform to show power, amusement and sheer confidence no man could shatter. "We'll be taking this loot from you, now!" She giggled like a mad man whip in hand and ready to strike, her victim stayed on his back fear in his eyes.

"Ha ha ha!" Natsu laughed his arse off while Lucy kept the fishermen from fighting back. "We hit the jackpot this time, Luce! Check this out!" Natsu fished around the cache they had found. Deep in the western seas there had been rumors of the Fishermen from Arbordale harboring an illegal stash of goods but she hadn't believed Natsu until they actually found it. Now the pirate master straightened a large royal crown on his head, glittering with the water droplets that the moist cavern air had placed on it. "Who's your king now?" He crossed his arms, his smile showing everything from sharp pearly teeth to gums as pink as his hair.

"Well if you're the king then let's get this loot back to our subjects." Lucy told him her face still held in an amusing snarl.

Natsu brought out the prepared note from his vest pocket and turned to the blue bird at his shoulder. After securing the note to the birds foot he said; "Happy make sure Erza gets this note so she knows where we are."

"Aye, sir!" The bird squawked the only words he'd ever learned to say and took off. His blue and white feathers a brilliant display of majesty as he swooped out of the caverns opening and headed towards the ship.

"Y-you're not serious?" One of the fishermen spoke up this time, making sure to back away from Lucy's whip before he said anything. Now his back was to the wall, flanked on both sides by his cowering friends. "You're c-calling the whole ship here? P-please we've already surrendered there's no need for-"

"Shut your trap!" Lucy yelled cracking her whip in the air by their faces. Fishermen were always cowards, she had never seen one with enough backbone to even talk properly in her presence. It had been that way since she earned her reputation as Mistress of the Whip when travelling with Fairy Tail. "This loot is illegal anyway! And that crown looks awfully familiar." Natsu walked over to his lady and put an arm on her shoulder, his feet crossing each other in a cool guy stance. "I think saw it on the King's head once before, or is all of Fiore looking for crown that just happens to look like this one?" She knew she had them cornered. There was no excuse for them to have this crown at their loot cache, and she doubted these low life's had even devised the plan that took the crown away from the King in the first place.

The fishermen seemed ever closer to accepting their fate, they may have had strength in numbers but there was no army that could stand up to Natsu and Lucy's tag team. They had both proved that to the world more times than necessary. "Wa-b-"

One of them stammered but Lucy simply snapped her whip again. "Hold your tongue! I don't care what you have to say now. We're taking this loot with us. I think the king will pay a handsome sum for this beauty." She said grabbing the crown from off Natsu's head.

Natsu and Lucy walked away laughing, no longer feeling any need to keep the fishermen in line. Fear could be a powerful tool and their name alone had plenty. They waited by the caverns entrance. Soon Fairy Tail would sail here bringing along enough the crew members to strong man the plentiful chests full of gold onto the ship.

"Another treasure secured for Fairy Tail!" Lucy announced, bringing a long intricate map of the country side out to put an 'X' on the spot they stood. She was always obsessed with crossing off every place they ever looted. Natsu didn't understand it, it wasn't like after looting one place no one would ever again set foot at that place again. Actually he found that more often than not, given enough time, some idiot will come along to reuse a raided loot cache. He guessed it was something personal for her but it didn't look that way, it seemed more like a mission of hers.

Lucy's key's jangled around the loop of her satchel as she folded up the map and placed it back inside her satchel. Not long after Lucy proved herself capable to join Fairy Tail she continued to impress Natsu. First with her skills of the whip and next with that brilliant mind of hers that was able to keep track of every key the ship had on board and then some.

Lucy had become the Mistress of the Whip and the keyholder for everything on Natsu's ship. Nothing happened on board without her knowing and no one went anywhere without her permission. Natsu sometimes wondered if he was the ship's master or if she was. But Lucy never cared much for titles so that had been left for Natsu to carry. It didn't bother him, Lucy was his soon to be wife so it felt natural for him to share equality with her. The rest of this mundane world seemed content with controlling their women, but not Natsu. He, like the rest of Fairy Tail, lived under their own rules, and the wide open sea had no rules. He was happy enough just to sail with her.

After waiting another half-hour their ship finally arrived, not a moment too soon. Lucy began guiding the ship through the shallow waters and picking members from the crew to help them carry the loot aboard. When a wooden ramp dropped onto the sand Natsu immediately recognized the red head in front. Erza, his second in command, was leading the strongest members off the ship and to the cavern. Gray, Gajeel, Laxus, Pantherlily, Juvia and Cana, with Erza in front, came up to report to Natsu. He walked them into the cavern only to see the fishermen had picked up more weapons. They now stood between Natsu and the treasure. They may have looked scared but they held their ground.

"Y-you're not getting our treasure! We worked our whole lives to build up a cache as successful as this and you can't just waltz in and take it!"

Natsu frowned, they had already beaten each fishermen to a surrender but now they stood fast despite their bleeding wounds.

Erza snickered behind him. He didn't have to make a move as his second in command took control of the situation. She sauntered up to the fishermen, glaring down on them, her eyes like flaming daggers. "I would advise you not to get in our way." She spoke, her voice booming in the sea cavern. "Otherwise you'll have to fight me."

Most of the fishermen shifted their feet uncomfortably. One of them took the lead, calling out to his friends. "Don't let this wench intimidate you! We can take them all on! Fairy Tail will not have our treasure!" He ushered a war cry and charged, the rest of the fishermen following him hesitantly.

"What did you call me!" Erza's eyes were set to kill and Natsu knew what was coming next. Him and Gray had seen it enough as kids. Erza was a monster when she was angry, and no one could convince him otherwise.

Natsu stood side by side with his shipmates, all of them cringing as they watched Erza take on the fishermen. She was outnumbered five-to-one, the fishermen wielding daggers and harpoon spears, Erza with her dual swords, but she would still win. No man to ever enter a sword fight with Titania, Queen of the Fairies ever came out alive.

Natsu decided to intervene when she held them to the ground, holding her swords to the general group of beaten men. "That's enough, Erza." He began in a small voice, unsure if she was still raging about being called a 'wench'. "If we take them as prisoners we can hand them over to the King as the thieves that stole his crown. it might just double our pay off."

Erza didn't move; "They stole the king's crown?" She turned her head slightly to look at Natsu. He showed her the crown they found and her smile curled up. "Very well." She sheathed her swords at her superiors command. "Gray, help me get these idiots tied up." Gray and Erza tied up their bounty while Natsu and the rest of the crew each grabbed a chest, carrying it one by one onto the ship.

When each chest was accounted for and the cavern had been cleared out Natsu ordered the fishermen be thrown in the ship's holding cells. "Now!" He called out to his crew. "We sail for Crocus!"

 

The city bustled with life in every corner. Baker's heated their ovens, fishermen worked their fishing ships, Fiore's national guardsmen patrolled the city at the King's orders. Mother's held the hands of their children as they did their daily shopping.

None of the citizens felt safe anymore, and it showed on the faces around the city, after the royal crown had been stolen the King enforced security. Now a cutpurse could barely walk the streets without meeting with his worst nightmare. This may have made the streets safer but all this extra security left the citizens feeling strangely vulnerable. It was as if their King suspected an attack at any moment, that fear showed in the message he sent with his guardsmen.

Street vendors set up shop as the buyers came out, coin sacks shaking full of money. One jewelry maker/seller had attracted his first customer. "Good morning, sir. What have you got for sale?" The young boy asked politely.

"Come see for yourself!" The vendor exclaimed joyfully, gesturing to his wares. The boy pondered over the goods. "If these are for a special lady could I interest you in this?" The vendor asked taking a small carved wooden box from under his stand. He opened the box to reveal a ring of shining silver, the best jade's to be found this side of Fiore displayed proudly, three to a row in the crest of the ring.  _It certainly glitters enough…_  the boy thought.  _And a rock that big could catch any maiden's eye._

"That's impressive." The buyer said at last.

"Ha ha! Thank you, my boy! Forged it myself from my last shipment. Those jades are the real thing I assure you, and the silver is exquisite!." He showed all his teeth with his smile. It would have been a nice gesture if the vendors teeth were all there, some were missing and those that weren't were crooked and yellow.

"It's nice, but I'm actually looking for something for my niece in my home country. A small trinket at most." There was a pause while the vendor put away the gorgeous ring and the boy spotted a new piece of jewelry. "How much is that one?"

He pointed to iron plate carved out in the form of the insignia the entire country knew by fear alone. "Are you sure you want it? That's a symbol of Fairy Tail you know."

"What's Fairy Tail?"

"You don't know of the fearsome beasts that sail the seas?!" The vendor yelled, flabbergasted. "My boy! They are only the fiercest pirates to sail the seas this side of Fiore! Fairy Tail makes a living off finding people's personal treasures and taking them by force!"

"That sounds evil! Has the King tried to stop them?"

"He can't. Technically they aren't breaking any laws. The poor saps they steal from have no actual rights to the gold they horde. They mostly go after thieves and vagabonds. Not that the King could do anything anyway. All of Fiore knows Fairy Tail. They are the strongest band of pirates ever to sail the seven seas and are bound by no law from king and country! Apparently ever since the previous leader, Markorov died, Fairy Tail hasn't been the same."

"Markorov?" The boy questioned, all these words new to him.

"I've heard rumors they used to be the strongest naval crew the King had at his disposal. But when Markorov died Fairy Tail broke all ties with the kingdom for some reason, and they kept the ship to become pirates. People say their new leader, Natsu Dragneel also referred to as Salamander, has never been defeated in any kind of battle before, especially naval battles. When Fairy Tail was still working for the King he used to be their best strategist. No warzone he entered came out intact. And his second in command is even stronger, they call her Titania, Queen of the Fairies, no one has ever beaten her in a sword fight. Thats not to mention Salamander's partner, she's got the reputation for Mistress of the Whip."

"Mistress of the Whip?"

"Aye! Meaning she can snap your neck before you can even watch her swing her whip!"

"Fairy Tail sounds horrifying."

"Oh and they are! No man I know ever picks a bone with them and if I were you I wouldn't either. This symbol," He said pointing a fat finger to the Fairy Tail insignia. "has been adopted by Fairy Tail for years, since before Markorov even. Only those associated to them wear it. Most folks stay away from this particular piece of jewelry. The only reason I have it is because some creepy hooded man came by and traded it to me."

"Aren't you worried of being accused of associating with them?"

"Nah! Fairy Tail may be feared by they also have some wacko fans. I can't believe it myself how a group of traitors calling themselves pirates would attract such attention. But, hey, whatever sells." He shrugged, finishing his tale.

The buyer walked away with a small necklace and claimed he would then return home to his niece across the world.

"Good luck travelling so far!" The vendor called to him and they parted.

The vendor was about to turn to a new customer when commotion down the street caught his eye. "Speak of the devil…" His words came out a whisper as the commotion turned his way.

Proudly strutting down the crowded street was a group of people that made most citizens run for cover. Dressed in their finest sea captain coats, pockets overflowing with gold, Salamander lead a posse of his core crew members, a group of fishermen from out of town being dragged by their binds.

Doors closed and windows shut, The vendors hid behind their shop curtains and those that didn't buried their heads in their wares. The people who remained on the street looked to Salamander's crew in awe. Children stared, obvious fans called out the names of their favorite famous pirates.

"Titania, you're awesome!" An unknown voice shouted, but Titania didn't bother to turn her head. She continued walking beside her crewmates. The rest of Fairy Tail followed Titania and Salamander's lead. Keeping their heads high as they walked down the street to the King's palace ignoring any and all reactions to their presence.

When Fairy Tail reached the entrance to the palace Lucy stepped up ready to represent her fellow pirates. Because if it was one thing Fairy Tail was known for it was honor among honorless pirates. They didn't have the best relationship with the King but Lucy was confident they could get into the palace this time.

Lucy bowed formally to the front guards, her nose almost meeting with her knees. "Fairy Tail humbly requests an audience with the King." She let her words speak for themselves as she straightened to look the guards in the eyes.

"What makes you think pirates can just stroll up and walk inside the palace?! The only people allowed to pass are guests for the King. And you," The guard speaking bent his knees to look Lucy close at eye level, jabbing a finger to her chest in a rude manner. "are most certainly  _not_  guests of the King! Traitor pirates such as yourselves can never hope to attain an audience with royalty!"

Lucy met his stern face with a smile. "I believe this will change your mind." From her fat satchel she took the King's royal crown. When the two guards by the main gate saw what she was holding they reeled back.

"H-How did you get that! Thieves! Arrest them!" He shouted without waiting for an explanation. Luckily before the royal guards could make a formal arrest on them Erza stepped forward.

"We did not steal the royal crown!" Her voice boomed, commanding all guards to halter with it's power alone. "We did however find the real thieves!" She tugged at the fishermen's ropes, forcing them each forward, heads hung in disgrace.

A new voice spoke after a few minutes of silence. "You didn't go through all this trouble for nothing." Titania recognized Arcadios, the captain of the guard. "What is it Fairy Tail wants?"

"Simple." Lucy took the lead again. "We want compensation for our troubles. The reward was staked higher than the total amount of the royal jewels for anyone who can return the crown, right? And guess what, we not only got the crown but we found who stole it."

"That's not true! We didn-" One of the fishermen tried to protest, Erza made sure they stayed quiet with a kick to his chest.

"If you wish to deny the obvious then you wouldn't mind filling us in with how you came across the crown?" Arcadios questioned the fishermen.

"We found it!" He answered almost immediately, causing eye rolls from everyone present.

"Sure ya did." Arcadios sighed. "Let them through. This is of high importance, the King needs to be aware." At his word the guards were forced to open the palace to them. Intricately decorated iron gates swung open and Lucy let Erza take the lead, bringing the imprisoned fishermen to the front.

The palace was nothing less than magnificent. Past the lush, green, shrubbery at front was the foundation for an entire country's worth of power. The palace radiated royalty. Thick stone bricks forming unsurpassable walls, becoming more frequent the closer they got to the palace. When the actual building was before them, Lucy saw how each narrowly pointed tower was adorned with the most gold she'd ever seen in one place, it was just as she remembered it from all those years ago. They entered the gold plated palace doors and were lead to a lavishly decorated throne room.

Fairy Tail presented the King with the thieves. Although Lucy doubted these nitwits could have pulled off a heist such as stealing the royal crown they could still get a pay off from them. And who knows, maybe they aren't as dumb as they look, maybe they did steal the crown? As long as Lucy ended up with coin at the end of the day she didn't much care.

The King was less than pleased to see his former naval commanders show up his very drown in their hands. "What's the meaning of this!" He demanded rising from his seat. "I thought you made it clear you wanted nothing more to do with me or the kingdom! After all these years why are you back?"

"It's nothing more simple than returning the King's crown, your majesty." Lucy spoke through gritted teeth. She remembered all too well how the King had ordered the attack that got her master killed. And though she wasn't too keen to return she would face the King with dignity.

The audience with the King proved to be better than they had thought. Begrudging comments aside, the King took the crown and the thieves, then left Fairy Tail with a sum total of ten million jewel!

Natsu couldn't contain his excitement when the King presented him with all those zeros. "We're rich! We're rich!" He chanted, arms up as he and his parrot, Happy, paraded around the room. One by one guards came in with handfuls of crates, each crate put together, upon closer inspection, held the exact sum the King promised them.

Smiles were all around and high fives were exchanged followed by joyous hugs and happy words. The King left to interrogate the prisoners after giving them the money.

It took every core member Natsu had taken with him to bring all the crates through the city and aboard the ship. By the time the sun set Fairy Tail had retired in one of the cities taverns. Cana cheerily drinked her cheeks red, while the bar was stocked full with Fairy Tail pirates. Any citizens in the tavern had cleared out long ago leaving the tavern all to Fairy Tail, a very frightened tavern owner kicked out of his position by the She-Demon Mirajane.

There were fights and drinks a plenty to be had. Lucy wasn't sure this tavern would survive as more chairs flew past her. It was always like this. Even on their own ship her crewmates could barely help but destroy the place. At least this time they had more than enough money to cover the expenses, both for their ship and the tavern.

Natsu and Gray butted heads as always, somehow managing to knock Erza's cake to the floor and start multiple all-included brawls. Happy busied himself by flying around the tavern ceiling, hovering just above the fights and squawking, "Aye!" over and over again.

By morning's light the tavern was missing all its windows, the serving bar had been broken in half and the ground was left strewn with dismantled pieces of every table or chair the tavern held.

Most of Fairy Tail was too drunk to get up but when the guards finally came to kick them out Lucy was the one to flash them some coin to pay off any expenses. They accepted the coin with a distrusting air about them and left.

Fairy Tail boarded their ship the next day with renewed spirits. Natsu left Erza to get the ship sailing while he searched for Lucy in her cabin.

He was sure Lucy had retired in her cabin last night after paying off the damage they did to that tavern, but as he entered the dimly lit room they only thing he found was the calm sway of the waves. Lucy wasn't in her cabin and the more Natsu looked for her the more he realized the small signs of distress around the room.

Lucy had left her keys and satchel hooked on the wooden wardrobe by the bed. Lucy never left her keys anywhere. The only time she parted with them was when she laid down to sleep. As well as her keys Lucy's favorite pair of boots was left by the door, her journal was open on the wooden desk and above that Natsu could see now the glass from the stained window was missing. It was obviously shattered but someone must have gone to a lot of trouble of cleaning it up because not a single shard could be found.

Natsu didn't like what he saw. Everything about this smelled of foul play, he prayed he was wrong though as he ran out to the deck to inform every member of their Ladies disappearance.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu meets mermaids...and the whole crew think he's insane.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gray shouted gruffly, his shirt gone. Natsu had ran out of the cabin as fast as he could and had suddenly collided with Gray, unable to form any sentence that made sense.

"Lucy's gone! We have to turn back!" He shouted to Erza by the ship's wheel. They were only a mile or so out to sea if they turned back maybe they could retrace their steps. Maybe she was still in Crocus though Natsu doubted it.

"Lu-chan is gone?" Levy, the pirate ships own sort of librarian, was handling a few seafaring maps in her arms, squibbles all over them. "What do you mean?" She stood up very much concerned for her best friend.

"She's not in her room! Her keys are still here, and the windows broken!"

Erza saw it upon herself to walk down the steps from where Elfman steered the ship. "How does any of this mean she's missing? She could just be in the archives like usual."

Natsu glowered in anger, "She never leaves her keys unattended. Something is wrong I know it! We have to turn back maybe we can find her. Elfman! Set course back to Crocus!" He shouted pointing to the white haired Strauss boy.

The ship lurched when Elfman turned the wheel, every crew member on board quite disturbed with Natsu's sudden behavior.

"Well if she's missing then where could she be?" Levy asked fully engaged now in a conversation with Natsu.

Natsu grunted, he ran his calloused fingers through his pink hair running through scenarios in his mind. "I don't know where she is but she's somewhere and we're going to find her!" He shouted, his teeth baring as he anxiously paced the moving ship.

"I thought Lucy had gone back to the ship last night?" Mirajane came up to him saying. "How could she disappear?"

"She did come back here last night, I'm sure of that." Natsu said, still pacing. "The window in our cabin is shattered. I don't like the looks of this at all."

"If her window has been smashed open then we can only assume nothing good happened." Erza voiced the worst. The ride back to Crocus was silent. No one had anymore ideas about where Lucy could be, that made Natsu extremely nervous.

He couldn't sit still the whole ride. Natsu paced away the soles of his boots, he wore them down with his anger, anxiety and guilt. Natsu couldn't help feeling terrible for losing his beloved, and if someone had taken her he'd be sure to slaughter them. It wasn't like him to lose a member of his crew like this. Natsu had always looked out for every member of Fairy Tail, when Macao went missing during one of their missions for the King, Natsu took it upon himself to find him. That was also one of the first times he went on a job with Lucy. It was back when Markorov was still alive. The thought of his old ship captain hit hard.

Natsu remembered all too well the way his masters bloody hand had placed the keys to the captain's cabin in his and appointed him the new master of Fairy Tail. The pain of that day was still fresh in every Fairy Tail members mind. After all they had been through, how could it end just like that? The way Natsu saw it, it was the king's fault.

Fiore had been in trouble with Acnologia's army for a long time and they needed a way to end the war fast. The king decided a full frontal assault with his best naval ship, Fairy Tail, would be enough to drive the enemy forces back. Natsu tried to warn the king against it. He knew the minute they stepped into that battlefield it would be slaughter. King Fiore simply refused to listen and Markorov was forced to take his crew out to war.

The only reason Fairy Tail made it out alive is because of Markorov. They made it past Fiore's boundaries and into enemy territory but they were pinned down by the sheer amount of cannon fire Acnologia's forces were hitting them with. One more hit to the ship and Fairy Tail would go down. Markorov had no choice but to raise the white flag, Natsu hated surrendering but they all would have been killed otherwise.

That day Fairy Tail bitterly swallowed its pride as they watched their master hand himself over in exchange for his crew members lives.

"I know you will lead Fairy Tail, right, Natsu Dragneel." Markorov said to him after Natsu tried to stop him from giving himself over. "The minute I leave this ship I want you to sail back to Crocus. Report to the king exactly what happened and give him this."

Markorov handed Natsu a rolled up piece of paper, sealed with the navy's official stamp. The wax was still hot and it dripped down the rolled up paper onto Natsu's fingers. "Gramps what are you-?" Natsu couldn't finish what he was about to say when Markorov interrupted him.

"That's my official resignation," He pointed to the piece of paper in Natsu's hand. "stating who I appoint as the new master of Fairy Tail."

"Gramps! No!" Natsu yelled but he was walking out the door back into the dark day. Rain clouds hung over the battlefield, everything was a horrible kind of calm as Happy landed on the ship's railing a letter tied to his foot.

The letter said everything Fairy Tail didn't want to hear. Acnologia was growing impatient and demanded Fairy Tail hand themselves over of he would blow the ship out of the water.

A spare row boat was lowered into the water with Fairy Tail's master. The minute Markorov began rowing, Fairy Tail turned around and sailed away, tears in their eyes. Markorov had managed to buy them some time to get away while he distracted Acnologia.

Natsu swore that when he got back the king would pay for forcing Markorov's hand. And the king did pay, he lost his best ship and crew and the war still played on.

Now Fairy Tail followed Natsu without hesitation. The only thing he wanted was to sail forever with his crew. They were pirates and would no longer be forced into any unwinnable battles like the war with Acnologia. That way Natsu had kept all his crew members alive, but even so he had lost the most important person to him.

_ How could Lucy disappear just like that _ ? Natsu's fists clenched.  _ There's no way I'm gonna lose her… _ He vowed on the bounding waves.

Sailing back to Crocus proved almost fruitless. Natsu organized the best teams to go out and search for clues and ask civilians if Lucy had been seen. Two hours later Natsu met up with Fairy Tail by the docks as planned but no one had anything useful to report.

"Dammit!" Natsu shouted, all out of options and getting desperate he ordered everyone to go out and search again. Natsu's crew left, giving him time to think on the docks. He anxiously paced, the creaking woods clogging his thinking process as he walked.

Emotions had reached their pinnacle in him when he spotted something floating in the water by the docked ship, Fairy Tail. Natsu leaned forward and recognized Lucy's overcoat, her treasure map sticking out of one of the pockets, completely waterlogged. He didn't think before he dived. A million thoughts raced through his head.  _ Did she drown? No, impossible, Lucy's a good swimmer! Did someone push her? Was she forcefully held under water? _

The salt water chilled his bones and blurred his vision. It washed away all thoughts as he delved deeper and deeper. He hit bottom, head spinning multiple 360's to catch a glimpse of her blonde hair, or the pink Fairy Tail insignia on her hand or anything useful. The more Natsu looked the less he saw and he was running out of air. He swam halfway to the surface when something caught his leg. He felt a bony hand drag him down by his ankle.

Natsu panicked. He tried to kick or swing a punch but his movements were too slow. More hands grabbed him with great speed under water. He tried to catch a glimpse of his captors and what he saw almost made him gasp. Attached to the hands holding him were three womens bodies with a large scaly fish tail instead of legs. The hands moved from his ankles to his chest and arms. He felt the creatures clinging to him rather promiscuously, two large bosoms rubbed against his back. Seaweed colored hair floated in front of his face, something hissed in his ear, the voice came out warped like it was talking through a tunnel.

"This one is easy to fool." Her fingers flew to his cheek, scratching the outline of his chin all the way to his collarbone. "I like the look on his face, too. He's much more fun than blondie!" Natsu struggled to get away, he couldn't breathe and the more he struggled the more he felt suffocation around him.

Another mermaid swam in front of him, This one was much larger than the other two, height wise, with glossy blue hair flowing well beyond her large breasts and curving under her blue tail. The mermaid held an official looking ewer under one arm, looking him over with disdain. The way she moved and placed her forefinger and thumb on her delicate chin, deep in thought, was driving Natsu mad. She was beautiful, obviously of higher rank than the other two mermaids.

"Is  _ this _ the dolt she was going to marry? Pathetic! Can't that girl get a good boyfriend for once?" She turned away in disinterest. Suddenly

Natsu wanted to shout at the mermaids, wanted to ask them what the hell was going on. Last he checked mermaids were just myths told of in Levy's book collection. There was no mistaking these things were real and they were drowning him. He had to get away, had to get to the surface. Instinct kicked in and he fought back, elbowing one of the mermaids in her nose and biting the other one.

The minute he was released he fought for the surface, racing as fast as he could to get away. The blue haired one caught up to him faster than he could blink. She was furious now and dragged Natsu back down, making sure to give him a good punch to the ribcage. If he wasn't lacking air already he might have been winded, as it stood the punch was enough to knock him unconscious. The light filtering through the waves above was the last thing to fill his mind, along with thoughts of Lucy.

 

A sword hilt slammed into his chest. He swore he heard a bone or two crack as he bolted upwards, water racing out of his lungs and spilling onto his lap. Natsu bent over himself retching up mouthfuls of salt water. His lungs had stopped working, the only function set to throw up until he started dry heaving. Finally a hand slapped his back and his lungs filled with air again.  He was soaked, waterlogged like a raisin and his chest hurt severely, but the dizziness was receding.

"Natsu? Are you okay?" Erza's voice was close to his ear. He became aware of many other people around him, his whole crew must have come back to find him unconscious in the water.

"F-fine." He coughed. "Thanks, Erza." It was obvious she had been the one to repel the water from his lungs, she was kneeling down next to him, sword tip to the ground and her arm resting on the raised hilt.

"What the hell happened to you?" Gray asked from his other side. Natsu stood up, shakily, the pain in his chest still restricting correct breathing.

Natsu searched his memory for the last thing that happened. The truth fixed itself into a sentence in his head but not even he could believe what he remembered. "Mermaids…" He croaked out, choking on his own words. "Mermaids dragged me down into the water!"

No one spoke for a second or two, they contemplated if their master had finally lost it. "Oi! Did someone knock your head a little too hard?" Gajeel came up to him and knocked on his forehead, obnoxiously. Natsu pushed him away.

"I'm not making this up! Real life mermaids tried to kill me!"

"But mermaids  _ aren't  _ real, Natsu…." Levy spoke quietly, folding her hands together.

"I know that!" He snapped, growing agitated. "I mean, I thought I knew that! But I saw them, and they tried to kill me!"

"What did they look like?" Erza asked, seeming to be the only one in the group that didn't find him crazy.

"Beautiful…" Natsu trailed off remembering every detail of the blue haired one. His mind retraced the way her fancy tattoo curled over her collarbone and the way her hips swung as her tail flipped in the water.

"He's officially gone nuts." Gray said, rolling his eyes.

"They have Lucy!" Natsu yelled, getting everyone's attention again. "I heard them talk about her and they spoke like they knew me."

"What do you mean, they knew you?" Erza questioned her brow furrowing.

"It was as if they knew me from someone else's word. And they said…" Natsu hesitated, unsure if he was making any sense at all. "They said I was more fun than some blonde, and one of them said that same blonde was the one who was going to marry me." He looked around at his crewmates knowing that last piece of information was the clincher.

The pirate crew considered this for a moment.  _ Maybe Natsu is telling the truth...After all there's no reason for him to lie. _ Erza thought.

She spoke on behalf of her crewmates. "Where do we find these mermaids?"

"I have no clue. I saw Lucy's coat floating in the water and jumped in, thinking maybe she fell in the water. But when I tried to go back to the surface the mermaids showed up. They knocked me out before I knew what was going on."

"This what you saw?" Gray asked, presenting Natsu with a dripping wet coat.

Natsu took the coat from Gray's hands, looking down on it sadly he grabbed her map from the pocket, shaking it free of water droplets before the water could destroy it. Lucy would be really upset if her treasure map was destroyed. "Yeah." He confirmed.

"Maybe I can find a clue in some of my books?" Levy put the question out there for the whole crew while she searched her satchel and took out a small journal type booklet. She leafed through the pages stopping in the middle of the book. Reading off from the page she said; "Mermaids prefer dark underwater caves close to coral reefs. They will often swim by ship routes in hopes of grabbing a love drunk sailor from the surface. They seduce men with their enchantress good looks then suffocate him deep under the water-" Levy stopped suddenly, contemplating the words she was reading. "This lore searchers journal doesn't have much on mermaids, but I have more useful books on the ship. I'll need at least an hour to translate every piece of information I have."

Natsu felt himself smile. After hours of being lost they finally had something that might help them find Lucy. "Great job, Levy! You're the best!" Jet and Droy chanted in unison, cheering on Levy like always.

"So we'll recoup onboard while Levy works on translating those texts." Erza confirmed, dawning a slight hopeful smile.

Back on the ship, Natsu laid Lucy's map flat on a secluded, sunny spot on deck. He left it there to dry and went back to his cabin. Maybe there was something he missed earlier? His feet took him straight to Lucy's writing desk, where her journal still lay wide open. His fingers traced the words on the parchment pages.

" _ And what do you call these mermaids?" The young mage circled her prey. There was nothing to keep her from her destiny now. These 'beautiful' mermaids would pay for stealing her love. _

" _ I call them family!" Abasus hissed, flashing her with his shark teeth. _

" _ They are precious to you?" She leaned in close, letting her stare bore into the sharkman's eyes. _

" _ Worth more than life itself." He confirmed,, meeting her steely gaze with his own rock hard conviction. _

_ The mage was growing impatient, "Where are these mermaids!" She demanded rather than asked. She was close to finding the answer and she wouldn't stop now. Abasus would pay for his betrayal, with the lives of his loved ones… _

That's where the words stopped, funny how Lucy's stories could represent their actual situation. She'd always had a way with the pen and Natsu knew how much she loved writing. He admired that, yet it was uncanny how the mythical creatures she'd chosen to write about ended up being the real thing that kidnapped her.

He turned his attention from the pages, Lucy's keys and her boots were still in the same place. Natsu would have guessed she was sleeping, by the way the room seemed so peaceful. The bed was still made, not a crease to be found in the covers. 

The bed held that same old citrusy smell that she always had. Natsu had always found it refreshing and lively, like her, now it was just bittersweet. He didn't know how to pass the time. Levy needed at least an hour to maybe decipher something useful but Natsu felt anxious just waiting around. He hated being patient.

"Master!" Finally a voice called from his open door, sounding hurried. "I think I know where Lucy is!" Levy told him, and he was following her out the door instantly.

Levy led him down the wooden hallway, past the other crew members cabins and into her own room. She had removed stacks of books from the shelves on her walls. Now the books lay around an arranged little nest on her bed. She rummaged through the pages and books searching for something until she brought out an old tome. She dropped the large text into his hands. The book was so large it must have weighed three pounds at least.

"This book contains loads of information on all kinds of myths!" She began turning the pages in his hands, she spoke as fast as her mind was racing. "It's astounding how much lore there is on mermaids but eventually I found one spot that kept overlapping."

"Just tell me where Lucy is!" His patience had reached it's limit.

She pointed to a spot in the book. On the page was a small map, just big enough to show a section of Fiore and a spot far off the west coast in the ocean. "In almost every text I found it mentioned this place, Manatee's Bluff. It says mermaids have been sighted around there and what's more, ships actively avoid the area. Over the years sailors have gone missing when their ships sail through the cliffs. A rumor started that the place is cursed."

"You think Lucy is there? That's a three day sail around the country side!"

"It's the best lead we have right now. Some other texts I have mention a Mistress of the Seas and Manatee's Bluff in the same context but those texts were old and I couldn't make any sense of it. I did manage to find out that this Mistress of the Seas is connected to Manatee's Bluff spiritually and that they are worshipped or something by mermaids."

Natsu tilted his head in confusion. He wasn't taking in any of this.

"I don't know how all this fits together but the mermaids, Manatee's Bluff, the Mistress of the Seas...It all sounds mysterious. You said Lucy was taken by mermaids so we should sail to Manatee's Bluff and see if she's there."

Natsu didn't speak for a while. Levy was starting to feel uncomfortable until he finally said something. "That doesn't make sense at all. But I guess we have no choice then!" Natsu slammed his fists together. "Great job, Levy! I'm fired up now!" He walked out of the cabin's quarters and addressed his crew. He strolled over to the map his ship had on board and pointed to Manatee's Bluff. "Set course for Manatee's Bluff! We're going to save Lucy and make those mermaids pay!"

He raised his fist and the rest of the crew yelled their approval. He watched Gray and Wendy let down the ship's sails as Elfman took hold of the wheel. Luck must have been on their side because the wind picked up, throwing the cloth sails into an arch like a taut bow.

"Are you sure Lucy's there?" Erza stood beside him and asked.

"Levy said that's where she thinks Lucy is, so we're going there."

"Yes, Master." She bowed, showing him her loyalty. Natsu never found such behavior necessary even if he was appointed Master of Fairy Tail. Still Erza seemed bent on showing it. Natsu didn't stop her, Erza was scary the last thing he wanted to do was speak out against  _ her! _

The ship began to move slowly making it's way out to sea. It would take three days to sail to Manatee's Bluff. But they had to make it there.  _ I'm coming Lucy...We're coming to find you! _


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ngl this chapter gets super cheesy and bad but here. Lucy blows up. Literally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally meant to update this so much sooner but life happens yo. Here it is!

Icy cool drops of water dripped onto her forehead, jolting her brain awake and making her heart beat ten times faster than normal. She sat up in her stone bed, cracking her joints from another uncomfortable sleep. She made a mental note to ask if that leak could be fixed. She'd woken up too many times from dripping water or unsatisfactory sleeping arrangements. Despite how important the mermaids claimed she was, they still treated her like a prisoner though that may have been Lucy's fault. She did give one of them a bad bruise with her whip and knocked two unconscious before they calmed her down enough to speak without violence.

Lucy could hardly think they hadn't expected that, after all who breaks into someones cabin in the middle of the night for no apparent reason? Lucy found out the reason soon enough. Her captors explained how they needed her help but they refused to give anymore information until Lucy agreed to go with them. Hesitantly Lucy agreed, little did she know, that meant the men who had broken into her cabin had to drag her overboard and down to the seafloor. The minute her captors hit the water, they grew tails and Lucy found she wasn't drowning or dying from the change of pressure.

"It's best you save your questions for our Lady Aquarius." Was the answer they'd given her curiosity.

Lucy stopped swimming. She hadn't heard that name in so long. She knew Aquarius from her fathers old waterside mansion. Her father had always been either gone or busy and had strict rules about her seeing the other children her age. So most times the only friend she had was that familiar blue mermaid in the backyard. From what Lucy understood her father had some sort of agreement with the mermaids, their existence kept secret in exchange for...Lucy didn't know. The older she got, though, the less she trusted her father's motives in that respect. Now that these mermaids had come to find her, she felt uneasy.

The feeling increased when she was standing in front of Aquarius. The beautiful blue haired mermaid was resting in a large throne, her mermaid tail dipping into fountain water. The scene took her breath away. Around Aquarius's head, adorned with a gold circlet, water fell in sprinkles, framing her entire figure. 

The throne itself sat in a large fountain, popping out of the water like it had grown there. Golden light reflected on the sprinkles of water making it look like Aquarius was sitting in a rainbow. The room around her wasn't large, mostly flooded by water but any mermaid that would fit was there to watch Lady Aquarius address Lucy.

"Aquarius…" Lucy breathed a whisper.

"Good to see you too, brat." She snarked, her lips curving into the slightest smile. "Let's get down to business then." She dropped the greeting when Lucy didn't say any more. "We need your help to raise the Mistress of the Seas."

"Who is this Mistress? Why do you need me?"

"The Mistress of the Seas is of the celestial spirit world like me and is the goddess all merfolk and sea creatures worship. Legends tell she give merfolk their magic. But she's missing and our magic is waning, we need her back."

"Magic?"

Aquarius smiled and with the blink of an eye her tail shrunk into two crossed legs. She stood up, stepping lightly out of the fountain water and coming up to Lucy. Her bare feet padding softly on the stone floor, dripping puddles of water around her. The feminine sway of her hips was matched only by the fierce look in her eyes.

"Our magic is what allows us to walk among humans and it's also what kept you alive on the way here. Without our Mistress our magic dies and when our magic dies so do we. Being the water bearer of the celestial world I have the closest connection to our Mistress, and you've always had a strong spiritual connection as well."

Lucy stared at Aquarius then back at the merfolk behind her. After a decade and a half Aquarius wouldn't have asked Lucy for help for no reason. She looked into her old friends eyes. "I want to help you, Aquarius, but why do you need me? If you have a connection to your Mistress-"

"Because," Aquarius interrupted, a sour look on her face. "I haven't had that connection for a long time." She closed her eyes and her lips thinned in an attempt to stave off annoyance. "But you, Lucy," She began to circle Lucy tracing her fingers across the blonde's shoulders. "You've known me since you were born. And you've always had a strong spiritual connection. Believe that I'm on my last hope when I say that maybe our connection to the spirit world combined can bring back the Mistress of the Seas."

"What do you want me to do?" She asked quietly, unknowing of what was to become.

Little did Lucy know that helping the mermaids entailed hours upon hours of researching merfolk history and lore. The mermaids had an impressive collection both underwater and not. They had a regular library held above their watery domain and an ancient stone tomb with words carved into rows of seashells. She tried to adapt to the way of the merfolk, but it was strange diving underwater to search around the seashell catacombs. Even after Aquarius had granted her the magic to breathe underwater, Lucy found herself holding her breath until she realized it was unnecessary.

After three full days with the mermaids she hadn't gotten any closer to discovering anything on this Mistress she was supposed to summon. All Lucy managed to dig up was a vague and confusing fairy tale telling about the Mistress's connection to the seas. Everything about a celestial goddess, nothing about how to summon her.

Lucy got out of bed, begrudgingly. Thoughts of Natsu and her friends in Fairy Tail crossed her mind for what must have been the hundredth time. She knew they must be worried, after all Lucy had just left without so much as a letter. She knew Fairy Tail must be looking for her and she wondered if they could manage to find her. She wouldn't put it past them. Lucy only hoped Aquarius could ease their worries like she promised she would.

The mermaid had left a few days ago to speak with Natsu and fill him in on what Lucy was needed for, at the blonde's request of course. As planned Aquarius should be back today to let Lucy know of her success in finding Fairy Tail. She sighed, pulling on the seashell bra and revealing bottoms the merfolk had crafted for her. She'd thought that a seashell bra would be uncomfortable but when she put it on she found out just why the mermaids are so fond of it. 

They padded it with the softest sea anemones around. Her old clothes had been hanging up on a hook in her room that surprisingly resembled a prison cell. There was no use for them if they would just hold water and cling to her body while living in the merfolks domain.

Lucy dived into the water, mentally stopping herself from holding her breath as she swam to where Aquarius was said to appear after her trip to Fairy Tail was done. The blonde waited longer than she would have liked and soon her impatience formed itself into a stream of bubbles anytime she sighed.

When that familiar blue tail could finally be seen Lucy nearly launched herself from her perch on the underwater rock. Aquarius met her with Lolita and Rizzy, the mermaids who'd so happily volunteered to meet this Natsu, Lucy was supposed to marry. Lolita's seaweed green hair floated gracefully behind her, somehow her fiery red tail went well with her overall color scheme and her hourglass body only added to her charm. She was teasing Rizzy about the odd shape of her gray tail again. Poor Rizzy had the looks to rival even Aquarius but the confidence of a hermit crab. Lolita was always picking on Rizzy and by the look on Aquarius's face she couldn't be happier to head home and be rid of them both.

Rizzy looked away shyly and tried to hide her blushing face, but amongst her pale features and mousy gray hair it stood out a little too much.

"Lo-Lolita…" Rizzy started in her signature small voice. "Shouldn't we focus on the mission…" She failed trying to sound confident and now hung her shamed head.

Lolita belted out a laugh. "Mission? We already finished it! C'mon let's go get a drink!" Lolita's posture changed and she did a little backflip, her long red tail swinging this way and that. It seemed Lolita's favorite pastime was drinking.  _ Cana and her would get along well. _ Lucy thought, but pushed the comment to the back of her mind.

She approached Aquarius while Lolita lead away a flustered Rizzy, one arm around the quiet mermaids shoulder.

"Well? Did you find Natsu? What did he say, is he okay?"

"One question at a time!" Aquarius demanded. She raised a forefinger and thumb to the bridge of her nose. "Yeah we found your boyfriend. He didn't seem too happy about it, though."

Lucy inquired exactly what happened and Aquarius relayed the information word for word. "You did what!" She floated a little above Aquarius in her anger. "How do you know you didn't kill him! I asked you to tell them I was okay not to murder my betrothed!"

Aquarius just chuckled. "He's not dead. You're friends found him before he could drown...such a shame too, he would have made a lovely full course meal!" She licked her lips and something sparkled in her eyes.

Lucy was all too aware of a mermaids main course. Although mermaids could survive solely on seafood they preferred having a human snack now and then. That meant enticing sailors over for a dinner date with a deadly menu.

Lucy plunged her hand to her forehead. "My fiancee is not food! And why didn't you tell him I was okay? He's probably more worried than ever now!"

"Well that means he'll be looking for you. And when he finds you, you can stop whining about how much you miss him!"

"I-I don't whine!" The blonde protested her hair hovering around her flustered face.

"Oh-?" Aquarius raised an eyebrow, meaning to procure something that was plainly true.

Lucy averted her gaze, "Not all the time…" She mumbled.

Aquarius ignored her and changed the subject. "Have you gotten any closer to finding a way to summon our Mistress?"

Guilt weighed heavily on her, she wanted to help her old friend as best she could but she was unsure she knew how to. "Nothing's come up yet." She said simply.

Aquarius pondered for a minute. "Hmm...Then I think we should try something."

Lucy looked at her curiously. Her answer came when they were face to face with a large glowing stone. Branching off the throne room was another royalty decorated hall. This one just as extravagant as they last. A noble gold outlined white trim and silver walls that lead to one seriously messed up stone. The stone itself was a deep sea blue and if she looked hard enough, Lucy could still see the inside had a sort of glow to it. There were cracks on the floor under it. And the stone itself was placed in a sad angle, as if a giant had just picked it up and dropped it in this room.

"What is this…?" Lucy asked while walking around the stone to see it from every angle.

"A lacrima." Aquarius answered, standing with her arms crossed under her breasts. "It used to glow and levitate."

"Levitate? It's a rock?"

"It's more than a rock you stupid girl! This is the rock where the Mistress first laid foot in our world. You could say it was her birthplace, or birth mother more like. It holds the most powerful magic of the seas. But since the Mistress of the Seas disappeared it's been like  _ this. _ " She gestured to the lacrima, looking over the rock with sadness.

"Her birth mother?"

"Everything is born from the earth it's not such a hard concept to imagine." Aquarius continued.

"When did the Mistress disappear?"

"Twenty years ago. At first it wasn't so odd, the Mistress rarely shows herself anyway but after the first decade we knew she'd been gone too long. I began to search for her but everytime I got close to the celestial spirit world I was kicked out until a few weeks ago I lost all contact with it."

"Thats a long time! Why did you wait until now to ask for help?!"

"We thought we could survive without her but then our magic began to disappear too. Suddenly mermaids were having trouble transforming and they began reverting back to their mermaid form while on human land. It became a problem bigger than we could handle."

"And what was the purpose in coming here?"

"If the spiritual connection with our Mistress is still alive then the only place it would reside is as a part of this lacrima." She put a hand to touch the lacrima, it glowed a little brighter in response but that soon faded away. "I've already tried everything I could think of to connect to her through this but nothing's worked. It's a foolish idea but perhaps your spiritual energy will ignite something."She removed her hands and placed them on her hips, looking at Lucy expectantly.

Lucy nodded her agreement. She paced around the lacrima deep in thought. Truthfully Lucy had never experienced any of her so called 'spiritual energy'. Aquarius had been the only one to say such things to her. She had no idea what to do, but for dramatics sake she pressed her palm to the tilted stone.

It felt cool under her touch and she could feel something moving inside it. It was a constant back and forth motion likes waves in the sea. Closing her eyes Lucy focused on only the lacrima. She reached deep down inside herself and then into the stone, she felt it's spirit. It was calling out to her and it was crying.

 

Fairy Tail finally reached Manatee's Bluff,and it couldn't have come sooner for Natsu. His ship navigated the sheer cliffs with many close calls. Erza stood at front shouting directions Elfman should steer the wheel, slowly navigating them through the cliffs. As far as they could tell Manatee's Bluff was just a labyrinth of dangerous cliffs and sneaky shallow areas.

Natsu called for the sails to raise. The whole crew stopped and looked at him as he scouted the edge of the ship. He could see no place to weigh anchor and no place to set foot on solid ground either.

"Wendy!" He called to his youngest crew member where she sat in the pulpit. Wendy was unofficially assigned the scouting agent for Fairy Tail. Her sharp eyesight was only increased when she stood above the sails and her ability to walk without making any noise remained unchallenged. The crew always turned to her for espionage missions or scouting needs. "What do you see?"

His voice barely carried over the wind, "It's nothing but cliffs! I'm sorry, Natsu. There's nothing here!" Her small voice yelled back.

Natsu turned his scowl to the horizon. He clenched his fists. "Sail back around!" He shouted and every Fairy Tail member immediately obeyed his order. "We're going to circle this place, I want to see how big this thing really is!"

Manatee's Bluff looked big enough from the inside but looks can be deceiving. Not a minute after Fairy Tail had sailed out of the cliffs and begun to circle the rock gathering, did a wave push them back.

The ship rocked violently, threatening to take on water the way it dipped so low. Along with the wave Natsu felt an unseeable force push his hair back, it was more than wind though it was some kind of energy...it felt devastated. When the ship righted itself again a cry came from the pulpit.

"WENDY!" Gray shouted, as another cry came from her lips. Wendy was hanging on to the railing above, the way more waves came and rocked the ship she might just lose her grip and fall. Gray wasted no time to run for the ladder, while Carla circled the large post.

Wendy's cat scratched at the post and mewed in distress whenever Wendy shrieked. Gray was climbing as fast as he could and losing his clothing along the way. A sweat stained shirt covered Natsu's face. He pulled the shirt away, unable to tear his eyes from the scene. He took in his surroundings. Waves were still coming from somewhere in the center of Manatee's Bluff, they rippled outwards growing in size with every new wave. Wendy's grip was getting smaller and there wasn't much time. A few times Gray almost lost his own grip.

His teeth gritted. "Hurry up, ya stripper!" He shouted in anger to Gray who ignored him and kept climbing.

Another wave almost crushed the ship. Water spilled overboard and it was all any of the members could do to hold onto the nearest solid ground. Natsu's mouth filled with bitter salt water. When he looked back up Wendy had lost her grip completely. Luckily Gray had caught her wrist just in time.

Working against the waves Gray started to pull her up to safety. Once those two were back upright in the pulpit though they were far from safe. The waves kept coming. It was risky to lower sails in stormy seas, every sailor knew that but they had to get away from the waves if their ship was going to survive.

"Lower sails to half staff! We need to get some distance between us and that bluff!" Fairy Tail worked hard to make their master's orders happen. It was edgy, but eventually Fairy Tail gained enough distance to watch the bluff from a place where the waves weren't so intense.

When the ship's crew could see clearly, the cliff's edges began to crumble. Natsu couldn't help a gulp as he thought about what would have happened if they hadn't sailed out just in time.

The cliff's edges fell into the raging seas, sending mighty waves in every direction. Soon more than just the cliff edges fell and the entire rock formation crumbled like a cookie. Manatee's Bluff was no more but from the watery ruins came a light so matching in color of the sea around it Natsu almost didn't see it.

A light beam shot straight up into the dark storm clouds. The beam had stirred up the ocean and a whirlpool whipped around what remained of the cliff's rocks. Fairy Tail was just dust caught in a windstorm for all the power this light held over the water. A galestorm whipped up and the sails had to be raised again unless they were to be torn apart by unnatural forces.

Every crew member braced for the worst, they waited by the ship's bow, belly's pressed against the railing to catch first sight of the travesty unfolding.

Born from heavens above and writhing with hell's rage, a dome of light crawled from the depths of the seas, connecting body and mind with the already raging light beam above it. This dome of light acted like a tornado, sucking in everything within a ten mile radius, that included Fairy Tail. The ship was caught in a riptide and circled Manatee's Bluff at the mercy of the gods. When Natsu was sure they would be sucked into the sharp rocks before them the dome of light grew steadily bigger until it burned out.

The winds calmed and the waves stopped. The pirate ship sat in the water, unnerved by a false sense of calm in the air. Suddenly, Wendy spotted something. Her breath came out sharp enough to be heard from the pulpit. Gray stood, strapping his arms around her and holding onto the railing like her own personal belt. "There's someone in there!" She shouted and pointed her small finger to where the dome of light had been snuffed out.

Natsu shifted his gaze. Wendy was right, there was someone where the beam of light had been. As Fairy Tail drifted ever closer the mysterious figure's features became clear.

Instead of standing on a surface, she was floating some ten feet above sea level. Her hand outstretched to a sort of stone that glowed with the same light that had caused chaos earlier. Natsu picked out her blonde hair being thrown back with fierce winds, the Fairy Tail insignia on her hand became overshadowed by a dark blue aura coming from her chest.

Lucy glowed just like rock floating beside her, her eyes were closed but Natsu sensed she knew everything that was happening around her. His heart stopped, air caught in his lungs and the sight of her tore him up inside.

Suddenly her eyes shot open, they were no longer the beautiful brown he had learned to love. They were now a deep blue that could match Juvia's hair, her irises, her pupils the whites of her eyes were completely taken over by this blue. The wind picked up, it swirled around her like a hurricane.

Lucy wasn't Lucy anymore...Something about her was off, he could feel it from a mile away. He didn't know what came over Lucy but the way she glared down at the Fairy Tail crew...he didn't like it.

"Lucy…" His voice whispered to the seas. A feeble croak that left his lips, drowned out by the wind yet she heard him perfectly. His face twisted, wrung like a dirty rag. Anguish clouded his features. It was the same look he'd worn the last day they'd seen their master, Markorov. It was also the same look he adorned when his father was brought into his mind. Lucy knew the look well, too well.

Natsu's pain was about to all come back to him now, because Lucy controlled the spirit of the sea itself in her palm. Power welled inside her, she was a ticking time bomb. She'd always been a bomb, just waiting for the fuse to light. Now finally, she would explode.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> uhhhh shit happens?

Gale force winds slowly cruised the ship closer to the ruins of the cliff's. Fairy Tail's crew was running around deck trying desperately to turn the ship around. If they got any closer to those cliffs the ship would no doubt be torn apart.

A thin sheet of water circled around Natsu's boots seeping into them and chilling his feet. Those waves had thrown a good deal of water onto the deck, any more and they'd be swimming in it. Wendy lowered the sails once more, Elman turned the wheel violently, Erza did her best to keep the crew calm.

The ship was in peril, with these high winds there was no way they could control it properly, and with the wind came waves that crashed and wrecked even the strongest naval battle ships.

"Salamander! Get your head out of the dumps!" Gajeel called to Natsu. His words came hurried, but his attention was immediately needed to keep the cannons from breaking loose of their ropes. Natsu didn't hear him.

His ears were oblivious to the sounds of the frantic crew around him. His senses were instead focused on the floating orb of blue energy in front of him. He could see Lucy clear as day but there was no way that was her. Everything about this situation was unnatural. He searched her face and posture for any recognition of the woman he fell in love with, but she wasn't there. The creature that looked down at him may wear Lucy's body but Lucy would never show such contempt for her family aboard Fairy Tail.

Her blue eyes locked with Natsu's, displaying unfathomable hatred. Natsu felt like he couldn't breathe. What was happening?

"Hey! Pyro-!" Gray shouted, but his attention couldn't be torn from her. The ship lurched again, being tossed about by a particularly terrible tidal wave. Natsu was thrown off his feet, his head hit the deck and he slid backwards until his whole body slammed into the ship's opposite railing. 

A hit to the head must have been what Natsu needed, his mind cleared and he stood up ready to direct his crew. Before he could utter a word, though, a larger tidal wave slammed into Fairy Tail's side throwing Natsu back against the railing and breaking the fragile wood.

The railings integrity had been breached and suddenly Natsu was swimming with the fish. The first thing he realized was how low on air he was. Natsu could see his ship above him, the sides tilting dangerously close to the water. He went with his survival instinct and kicked upwards. When he came above water he heard what had been drowned out to him minutes before.

"Master!" A voice cried.

"Turn the sails to the wind! Get this ship moving!" A command rang out.

"It's not possible, the wind will rip the sails apart!" Came the retort.

Mixed in with the yelling voices were various cries of fear and pain. Natsu's panic button was triggered but he had to fight the urge to flee. Fairy Tail needed him to navigate them out of this storm. But the voices were right, this wind was not from any normal sea storm. These winds blew at forces that were enough to knock the one ton cannons away and they changed direction too quickly for Fairy Tail to start sailing in any one direction.

If the ship lowered it's sails to try to move away from the bluff the wind would shift direction and they'd lose the favor of the winds. Combine that with the massive waves hitting Fairy Tail and Natsu was surprised his whole crew hadn't been washed overboard by now.

Salt water entered his mouth in suffocating intervals. He struggled to keep his head afloat, and when he did manage to do that, a wave would come to knock him underwater again. There was no land to be seen, aside from the ruined cliff's of Manatee's Bluff but Lucy had stirred up a hurricane to surround her, there was no way Natsu could get remotely close to her. He was lost at sea, with no direction, no fail safe and no help.

As the waves knocked him under one last time he wracked his brain for a strategy that would save them from this storm. All thoughts left him, though, as the waves stole his breath. He was pulled under and couldn't seem to break the surface for even a second. Natsu failed his arms miserably.

_ I'm drowning?! _ The sudden realization hit him a little too late. Everything he did seemed useless and Natsu was just seconds away from losing consciousness under water. Suddenly Natsu's eyes were pulled to a mass of commotion.

Swimming away from Manatee's Bluff were hordes of mermaids and mermen. Natsu saw the terror on their faces as they kicked their fins trying to get away. It looked like Manatee's Bluff was collapsing underwater as well as above it. What Levy found in her books had been correct so far which could only mean that this rock formation was the mermaids home, and it was being destroyed.

Natsu caught horrible flashbacks of Gramps being lowered into a rowboat, the Fairy Tail flag rippling proudly in the wind on his tiny boat. A large black ship swallowing up Gramps as he approached. Natsu almost lost his home that day and he still remembered the terror, guilt, pain and sadness that clenched his gullet. 

These mermaids were feeling that right now. Every Fairy Tail member had experienced this pain before and they had always survived. Fairy Tail never gave up! He thought about Gramps's proud conviction as he sailed away to protect his little brats. He thought about Erza, her strong will that always protected her friends..and Lucy. Running away from a life with aristocrats, fighting back against her father for the sake of her beliefs and being able to stay with her family in Fairy Tail. Lucy never gave up so Natsu couldn't afford to now. Not when Lucy needed him.

He gritted his teeth and shot towards the direction he hoped was the surface. After painfully long seconds his lungs filled with air once more.

He must have drifted far away from the ship as he couldn't see Fairy Tail anymore, but that didn't matter. Natsu knew the only way to stop all this chaos was to reach Lucy. He sent a silent prayer to Fairy Tail, wishing for them to stay alive just long enough for him to stop this vicious sea storm.

He gathered up new strength, relying solely on will power as he kicked hard in the water to reach Manatee's Bluff.

 

"Lucy!?" Aquarius shouted after the blonde had gone shooting up through the roof. She hadn't expected the lacrima to react the way it had, blinding the room with it's blue aura then carrying Lucy up into the sky.

After the cavern roof had been blasted away everything in the once lavish room began falling apart. Pillars fell and crushed the stone floor.

Aquarius faintly heard the cries of the merfolk outside. No doubt Lucy's reaction to the lacrima had caused chaos everywhere. The mermaid cringed to imagine what the sea around their home must look like.

She ran to where the lacrima had once stood and craned her neck to see the pandemonium around them. Through the crumbling open hole Aquarius could see Lucy, hand still attached to the lacrima, her aura growing bigger. There was little Aquarius could do from down here, it wasn't as if mermaids could fly. She began looking for a way out but when she turned around the entrance had been collapsed by the falling pillars. Aquarius was in trouble.

There was no easy way out to be seen, the usual entrance was covered in debris and although the water on the floor dropped down and lead to the sea outside, diving under a collapsing cavern was not the smartest choice.

She was just about to think surviving this was futile when some rocks moved away from the wall, slowly opening up a small escape route. She ran to the where the rocks were falling and began to shovel away the wall of boulders with her hands.

What Aquarius found at the other end of the wall was not what she expected. First, a head of pink hair poked over the rocks, all dirtied and matted to a tall man's head. Hands tore boulders away with the same purpose as hers until the wall was torn down. The fierce golden brown eyes that met her then were unforgiving. Aquarius now stood face to face with the infamous Salamander.

A wave of recognition hit his face, his arm swung back and hit her with a powerful right hook. Aquarius fell to the ground clutching the part of her cheek that had been hit. She spat and quickly scrambled back up to meet the glowering pirate.

"You're the mermaid that tried to have me killed!" He shouted advancing on Aquarius. She nervously glanced around the destroyed cavern and wondered how long they would have until Manatee's Bluff came down on their heads. "What have you done to Lucy!" He didn't bother with formalities. His fists clenched and she could swear his eyes were on fire as his intimidating figure tried to loom over her.

However Aquarius was taller than the boy and wasn't easily intimidated. "You little brat! I didn't try to kill you and I haven't done anything to your fiancee! She's the one who went berserk, this wasn't my fault!" Unbridled anger met steel-force will as the two heads leaned close to each other.

Natsu didn't seem interested in Aquarius after she refused to admit her involvement in Lucy's attempted destruction of the world. He turned and ran to the spot under the hole in the roof. His expression changed when he could see Lucy, in all her shining rage, floating high above Manatee's Bluff.

Aquarius didn't want to waste anymore time in here than necessary. "You're on your own, kid! There's nothing I can do to change what's happened now." After calling back to Natsu she flung herself down the corridor the boy had come from.

Her words only served to anger him more. Just because you thought there was no way you could help doesn't mean you can give up. But he couldn't worry about the mermaid. His attention had to be on saving Lucy. If he could reach the Lucy he knew was inside her maybe he could get her to stop all this destruction and come home. He tried calling her name, that was useless. There was little to no chance she would hear him over the roar of the wind and if she did how could he know if she cared?

Natsu gritted his teeth and clawed his way on top of a pile of rocks. The cavern may have been falling apart but he could still climb his way out of it, as he did more of it crumbled away to leave half the roof and back wall of the cavern missing. He jumped, just barely grabbing ahold of a very fine edge. He found footholds everywhere as well as loose boulders. More than once he lost his grip to a falling rock, but he never gave up. The only thought on his mind as he climbed was the drive to save Lucy. Nothing could stop him now.

When he finally climbed as high as he could it wasn't nearly enough. He was still some twenty feet below her, fierce winds ripped at his hair and clothes. The platform he stood on was only stable with his balanced stance. He called once more to her.

This time he seemed to gain some response from her. Lucy, still fully enveloped in a dark blue aura, looked down at him, quite literally. He couldn't see any emotion in her purely sea blue eyes. "What happened to you, Luce?" A lack of words to say brought him to a pitiful reach out.

He felt, rather than heard, her rumbling laughter. She opened her mouth and her body reacted to the laugh in all the same ways, but so did the sea hurricane surrounding them. The wind shifted direction, blowing up and down in a wave that matched her jumping belly. The water rose higher, creeping up the ruined rock formation like a hungry beast.

"Luce?" She repeated, her voice didn't sound anything like Lucy. It wasn't soft, light and high pitched but it was as deep as a coral reef and bounced around like churning waves. "She is the poor girl who has awoken my soul inside her, correct?" Another laugh with shifting winds and rising tides. "Are you concerned for her?"

Natsu ignored the imposter that must have been controlling Lucy somehow. He was speaking directly to his fiancee. He was speaking to the Lucy who loves to write, to the Lucy who earned her reputation as one of the strongest pirates in Fiore, to the Lucy who hates being connected to her father's past. He spoke to the Lucy of Fairy Tail...he only prayed she heard him.

"Lucy! I know you don't want to do this! You'd never try to harm Fairy Tail so don't give in! These winds are pulling Fairy Tail dangerously close to the cliff sides, if this goes on our home will be destroyed! Please Lucy, stop!"

The imposter wearing his fiancee's skin spoke. "Lucy is no longer in control of her former body. In fact she's on her way to the spirit world as we speak!" Natsu stared in horror, he almost forgot to breathe. "It's a pity you had to develop feelings for this woman. The only reason she was ever born was to become a vessel for my soul. 

“Now that this foolish girl returned to my homeland I can rise to power again...It's nothing personal really, you should never have known this girl. She was doomed to die for this purpose the moment she was born. She should feel honored, knowing that her body and mind have been brought into existence for the Mistress of the Seas. I thought the Heartfilia manor would have respected that purpose and kept her away from human relationships?"

Natsu couldn't listen anymore. This non-Lucy talked just like Jude Heartfilia, always expecting Lucy to go along with everything she was told like some mindless puppet. Natsu yelled over the rising winds and tides. 

"Lucy ran away from that place because she didn't want to be controlled! She hated being a puppet to her father, and she had the guts to find the true place she belongs! With Fairy Tail! Lucy is a part of our family now which means I'm gonna have to kick your ass for talking about her like she isn't her own person!" He slammed his fists together. Natsu had managed to build up a rage enough to pound anything to the dust but he couldn't muster the courage to lay a finger on Lucy.

Freaky-blue-Lucy-look-alike or not that creature was still in her body, he knew he didn't have the nerve to even think about hurting her. "Aye!" A loud squawk sounded right next to his ear. Suddenly Natsu was aware of small talons clinging to his scarf. Happy was clinging to him with wings flapping in the strong winds. It was all the little blue bird could do to hang on but it was there on his shoulder like always. Natsu realized Happy must have come from somewhere, he glanced down.

Below him Erza, Gray, Mirajane and Gajeel stood in the half-cavern Natsu and Lucy had collectively destroyed. They looked ready for a fight, Erza with her swords drawn, Gray with his bow and arrows. Mirajane didn't need anything other than her long dagger, Natsu knew she could easily scale what remained of the cliff faces with nimble footwork and fight like she flew in the sky. Gajeel held his iron warhammer with white knuckles.

Their faces spoke volumes; loyalty, anger from a protectors soul, and determination second to none challenged the Lucy-imposter.

"Hey, flamebrain!" Gray could barely be heard in the turmoil of the winds. "Don't go getting yourself thrown overboard again! I thought you were the Master of Fairy Tail, or are you trying to give us a bad name?"

Natsu forgot the Lucy-imposter for a second to rebuff Gray's attitude. "Agh shut up, ice freak!"

Gray almost smiled, he notched an arrow but hesitated to raise the bow to his friend. Erza shifted her feet. "Messing with Fairy Tail will be the worst mistake you ever made!" She pointed a sword to the floating blue aura, her eyes burning with a fire as scarlet as her hair.

"If you think you can take a member of Fairy Tail, then you must have a death wish." Mirajane added, the slight curve to her lips looking criminally evil.

"Let the bunny girl go now, I'd rather not have to hit a woman." Gajeel finished, staring the fake-Lucy straight in the eye. Just as he expected the Lucy-look-alike didn't give in. Natsu suddenly remembered she had called herself the Mistress of the Seas.

" _ I did manage to find out that this Mistress of the Seas is connected to Manatee's Bluff spiritually and that she is worshipped or something by mermaids...I don't know how all this fits together, but the mermaids, Manatee's Bluff, the Mistress of the Seas...It all sounds mysterious."  _

It clicked. Levy's research had been correct. The mermaid's home was Manatee's Bluff and Lucy had been taken here because she was somehow connected to the Mistress of the Seas. Now this Mistress had taken control of Lucy's body. He didn't know how but they had to get the real Lucy back. There was no way Natsu could let her die like this Mistress says she is.

Natsu readied himself to leap into action but the Mistress stopped him. "Insolent humans. Your Fairy member is gone! Now you've procured the wrath of the seas! Let my winds rip you apart, may my waves drown you with all your pitiful attempts of rebellion." 

The Mistress frowned, her hand extended away from the lacrima and towards Natsu. She waved her fingers in a circular motion, moving only her wrist and the waves below Natsu rose up in response. They crashed against the precarious rock he had climbed on top of, threatening his already unstable balance.

Fear clenched his gut as he felt weightlessness. He was at the mercy of the wind and the wind didn't seem very merciful as it blew him away. His back slammed against unforgiving rocks. He felt the sharp points dig into his back. It penetrated past the skin, serving to reach his insides with bone cracking force. His head got whiplash from the force and he fell, completely unconscious, to the water below.

Just when the Fairy Tail pirates thought Natsu's body would hit water the wind slammed him once more. Natsu's limp form was flung into Gray who moved to try and catch him. Both parties ended up thrown against the debris behind them. As if the sheer power wasn't enough to kill them the debris was dislodged and buried the fairies under piles of rocks.

Erza reacted first, she threw herself forward in an attempt to attack the very winds that might have killed her comrades. She too was thrown back by both wind and waves. The Mistress didn't seem to be giving up. Each time a Fairy Tail member launched themselves into the fray they were slammed back with equal force. The sea was not their friend today, neither was Lucy it seemed.

Under the rubble Gray tried his best to push the boulders away. But his arm had been pinned under the debris, it was no doubt broken, and Natsu's head must have been bashed pretty bad. He was bleeding profusely from a hole in his skull. In spite of the splitting pain shooting up Gray's spine he fought the pile of boulders slowly suffocating them.

There was so little he could do with one arm pinned under the rocks like this and Natsu could be dead for all he knew. He couldn't hear anything other than the crashing waves and howling wind, he only hoped Erza, Mirajane and Gajeel were winning the fight.

Another attempt to move the boulders ended up only making it worse. Now a boulder crashed inches from Gray's face, cutting off the view of Natsu beside him. "Hey! Flamebrain!" He opened his mouth, letting an unwanted amount of dust dry out his air pipes. Natsu may have been unconscious but Gray could still try and reach him. Maybe if he stimulated the Masters emotions with harsh words he could make Natsu angry enough to perform a miracle, like getting them out of these fallen boulders.

"Pull yourself together! Are you gonna let Lucy die!" His words seemed to fall into nothing. They were neither heard nor said, they fell into silence as easily as if they were just thoughts in his head. They screamed of loneliness. "Natsu!" He shouted a little louder. "Natsu!" He called again, louder and louder, as if he could somehow drown out the silence.

Each call of Natsu's name came steadily harsher, each time came a new insulting nickname. Gray didn't let up hoping one of the insults would get through to the unconscious pirate. Each time the only thing Gray heard as a response was his own labored breathing. Silence fell permanently, this time with the knowledge that Natsu would never break it ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mermaids decide to help fairy tail

It was two weeks after Fairy Tail's tragedy at Manatee's Bluff and the pirates had yet to elect a new master. Erza held many discussions regarding Fairy Tail's leaderless ship but nothing could be agreed upon. After all who could lead Fairy Tail as well as Natsu Dragneel had?

Erza was convinced there was no one person who could fill his shoes quite so well, and the burden of having to choose a new master while still grieving was too much for most Fairy Tail members to bear.

The second in command, though she hardly knew what she should be called now that there was no first, walked through the cabin doors. The s-ranked pirates sat in the bay awaiting Erza to begin the meeting. She held her face stoic, the last thing Erza was going to do was let it show how much she missed that idiots face-splitting grin. Or how Natsu's happy-go-lucky attitude always seemed to brighten up the darkest of days.

Once she would have seen Natsu sitting in close proximity to Gray during these s-class meetings, both of them would be butting heads and ready to start a fight, boasting about now that they ranked s-class they could kick the others ass. Now Gray remained still in his seat, bangs hiding his face, while Juvia watched him carefully, from afar. Juvia grieved for Natsu just as the rest of them did however her interests of late seemed to be directed at one dark haired pirate, more so than usual. Gray hadn't taken Natsu's death so well and all he seemed capable of doing nowadays was sulking. Erza made a mental note to reach out to Gray after this was over. She prepared herself to begin the meeting, with any luck this s-class meeting would decide the new Master of Fairy Tail.

"Has any contact with Gildarts been made?" Erza started out the meeting briskly, addressing the question to Jellal who handled all of Fairy Tail's communications.

"Happy came back last night," The hooded pirate began. "Still had the note tied to his foot. Wherever Gildarts is, he can't be found, or doesn't want to be." Jellal brought out a small rolled up note, the one meant to be received by Gildarts, asking of his cooperation as Fairy Tail's new master, the note bounced pitifully to the middle of the table.

Erza lowered her head to think. Gildarts had been her first choice of who was next in line for Natsu's status, but he had always been elusive. He almost never stayed in one place for longer than a month even though he was a rightful s-class pirate of Fairy Tail and a close friend to all of them. Erza had hoped that if Happy could deliver the message personally he would come home and step up as the rightful leader of Fairy Tail, that hope was gone though.

"Gildarts already refused the title of master once when Gramps asked him." Laxus added, his feet rested unlawfully on the table and his chair was tipped back. For all the disinterest Laxus showed with the current situation he couldn't hide the sadness he felt over Natsu's absence. It was clear in the turn of his face and the dead limp in his step. "I doubt he'd agree to it now just because the flame idiot bit it." The whole room visibly cringed at Laxus's choice of words.

Mirajane considered the blondes words and turned to Erza. "He's right. Gildarts already denied becoming master of Fairy Tail, there's no use trying to contact him now." The room was silent except for Mira's words, every person in the room barely seeming to breathe. "Erza  _ you  _ were Natsu's second in command. You're the one he would have wanted to take over the ship if something like this happened. You are the only one who can lead Fairy Tail." Mira spoke the last sentence quietly as if she didn't want to believe that Natsu wouldn't come back with that dumb grin on his face any minute.

Erza lowered her head once more. When it was clear that Natsu hadn't survived the fight with the Mistress of the Seas, Fairy Tail had turned to her. She barely lead them out of those cliffs alive and only because the Mistress seemed to grow bored with the fairies. Erza was sure if the Mistress had not left on her own accord that she wouldn't have been able to save her comrades. 

Erza took command in that rough time only because it was necessary. She just didn't see herself as the master-type, Natsu was always better at getting people to listen to him. Not Erza, being Fairy Tail's master had never appealed to her, but it seemed that there were no other choices. She had talked it over with Jellal one late night a week ago, no one was willingly ready to step up and take place as the master, not even Laxus, the grandson of Master Markorov.

"Gramps choose Natsu to be master and not me. I don't know about you but I think that says I'm not meant to lead Fairy Tail. Trust me, Scarlet, there's about a million other people who would be better for that job description." Laxus had told Erza during one s-class meeting.

Erza let a sigh escape her lips. "I guess I have no choice then…" She gazed over the people around her, each one glued to her words. "I accept the title of Fairy Tail's master."

There wasn't much to happen in the s-class meeting afterwards. Erza had agreed to lead Fairy Tail, she had risen from second in command to master. She couldn't say it was all for the better, she wanted nothing more than to have Natsu come barging out of his cabin with Happy flying enthusiastically around him as he greeted a day of looting with his comrades.

After reading through all the formalities that came with being master, the s-class pirates filed out one by one, leaving Erza alone. She sunk down into the nearest chair with a heaving sigh. She hadn't noticed there was someone still in the room until Jellal placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it methodically.

"You did the right thing. It's only natural the second in command take control as master once the previous dies."

"That's true…" She said, straightening her posture and returning the strong mask to her face as always.

Jellal took a seat next to her, his hand resting now on her knee. "You think you won't be able to do it? Are you afraid of leading Fairy Tail?"

Erza rebuffed his words with a roll of her shoulders. "Whether or not I'm afraid doesn't matter. I'm the only one capable of leading this ship right now." She turned her head as she stood up from her seat and began pacing.

"That doesn't mean you have to lead it alone." Jellal stopped her mid-pace and placed gentle hands around her waist. He caught her eye and with one hand pushed back the scarlet hair that covered half her face. Erza didn't engage in his romantic setting of the mood, instead she stared past him to somewhere he couldn't see. "Unless you're upset about something else?" He questioned, wanting nothing more than to make Erza's pain go away.

She didn't answer. Jellal knew Erza like the back of his hand. She was the strongest person he knew and there was no doubt in his mind that she could do anything. And yet she had seen more pain and suffering in her lifetime than the biggest collection of war prisoners combined, most of that because of him, for which Jellal could never forgive himself. He was the luckiest man alive to have been accepted back into Fairy Tail and back into Erza's life after all the pain he's caused them. Jellal never seemed to be able to repay that.

He could read the grief in her eyes, the sadness, and the anger. The only thing that would make it better was Natsu coming back and yet if he did he would surely receive a good pounding from Erza for making them all think he was dead. But that wouldn't happen, Natsu had died under that rock fall and Gray had barely survived.

Natsu Dragneel was dead, Jellal watched his body burn as they set him off to sea. And what were they left with? Sadness? Guilt? Neither of those words seemed to describe the feelings every fairy felt after losing their master. They hadn't just lost a great leader they had lost a best friend, and in his place settled a terrible emptiness. No one could deny it, something was missing, something that cannot be replaced.

"I miss Natsu as well." He stated after a few moments of silence. "Everyone does. You don't have to hide that." Erza had long since removed herself from his grasp and paced the floors. Jellal noticed a change in her attitude all of sudden. Her step faltered as a single tear raced it's way down her cheek.

All at once her tears began to fall freely and she grabbed ahold of Jellal by the chest. He wrapped his arms around her as well and she let out the tears she'd been holding back since Natsu's death…

 

"Gray-sama?" Juvia tried to catch his eye when the male exited the s-class meeting with his head down, one hand in his pocket the other in a sling.

He didn't look back at Juvia as she followed him all the way to his cabin under the bay. A muffled 'hm' was all Juvia received as a response.

"J-Juvia thinks her and Gray-sama should go swimming?...It would be fun to-"

"Not today, Juvia." Gray interrupted her as he turned the doorknob to his cabin. Juvia reached a hand out to grab his shoulder, but he backed inside the room and closed the door firmly behind him. Juvia hadn't been able to connect to him since Manatee's Bluff. 

She missed Natsu and a pain had settled in her heart where he used to fill it. But the worst of it was how distant her love had grown from her. Not even swimming, his favorite activity to do with Juvia, could snap him out of this terrible sadness.

Juvia sighed, a teardrop falling slowly. She wiped away the tear and planted herself in front of Gray's bedroom door.  _ Gray-sama will be happy once more. Juvia will make sure of that… _ Until then she planned to stay by his side at all times. Juvia sat, head resting on the door, waiting for the right moment to talk to him.

Juvia almost fell backwards into the room as the door suddenly opened. She stared up at Gray from her position on the floor, confusion setting on her face. "You can come inside if ya want…" He said, his gaze shifting to something down the corridor, carefully avoiding eye contact. "I have the biggest bedroom on the ship and it gets kinda lonely...I guess…" Gray had broken off his words, his good arm rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously.

Juvia stood up, allowing the slightest smile to play upon her lips and followed Gray inside…

 

Gajeel had to wonder what Juvia and Gray would do if they were alone together as he passed the closing door. The sexual tension between those two nearly killed him. At least Gray was opening his door to her, which said a lot more than just a friendly gesture. Only two weeks after Salamander's death and Fairy Tail hadn't gotten any closer to accepting the tragedy, or any closer to finding Lucy.

Gajeel grimaced as he recalled the events two weeks earlier. Natsu and Gray were pinned under that rock fall. Mira managed to triangle jump her way to evil-Lucy, getting inches from the bunny girl. But Mira hesitated, she lowered her dagger a fraction of an inch and that's when The Mistress shot her back down with the same force that killed Natsu. Similarly Erza and him had a hard time fighting a target that floated twenty feet above their heads. When Gray was taken out they lost the range his bow and arrows would have provided and unfortunately the remaining fighters wielded close combat weapons.

The Mistress of the Seas proved too much for Fairy Tail. But it must have been their lucky day as The Mistress didn't seem too interested in them. She announced her annoyance with them and dived under the waters, taking the giant blue stone with her. The minute she hit the water her sea storm stopped, the waves settled and everything was clear again.

Gajeel wondered if he could have done something to save the Salamander. It wasn't like the fiery idiot was close to him or anything but he grew an appreciation for comrades while in Fairy Tail. In a way Natsu had been the outlet Gajeel needed to express himself. 

Anything Salamander did Gajeel would prove he could do it better. That silly competition was all in Gajeel's head of course and he realized now how Fairy Tail hadn't changed him for better, Natsu did. Gajeel had learned from Natsu what it really meant to have friends, what it really meant to care and to protect someone. What it really meant to push the limits everyday in order to shelter those you cared for.

He cursed everything for having to take away a life of such importance. Gajeel was so busy in his thoughts he would have walked right past Levy's open door. The shrimp had taken Natsu's death the way all the rest of Fairy Tail seemed to take it. In silence and shedding too many tears. Her door had remained closed for those two weeks. 

Occasionally she'd let him in and relay her sadness onto him. All he could give her was an open ear, though. He wasn't too good with words and they always seemed to fail him when he needed them most.

Gajeel took a step inside Levy's room. It was the same broom closet sized bedroom she always had, made even more cramped by all the books she insisted on stuffing inside it. Huddled on the bed with a blanket around her small figure and a book open in front of her, was Levy. She looked like she could have been enjoying a particularly cold day with some hot tea and a nice book but the expression on her face said otherwise. She was hiding from her feelings and trying to keep her mind off the family members she'd lost. After all they had lost Lucy as well as Natsu at Manatee's Bluff.

"Oi, shrimp." He called and she looked up, her eyes thinly outlined in red. Gajeel lost his words again for a second. "...What are ya reading?" He finally asked, coming into her room fully and placing himself beside her on the bed.

She sighed. "Nothing." Levy's boney fingers picked up a piece of parchment and placed it in the pages before closing the book.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice dark and gruff.

He heard her sniffle. It was a while before she answered him. "I miss them…"

Gajeel knew this was the moment the guy should do something like comfort the crying girl but he had nothing to say that would make it better. Instead he opted for the 'actions speak louder than words' option and moved an arm around her shoulder. She blushed slightly as he pulled her close, blanket and all.

Levy rested her head on him, keeping the blanket firmly wrapped around her midriff. "Do you think we can get Lu-chan back?" It was a question Gajeel wasn't prepared to hear because he didn't have a hopeful answer. That damned Mistress seemed pretty intent on keeping Lucy's body for her own. And not only that but Fairy Tail had no idea where the Mistress had gone. They were lost, missing two of their closest friends and without a clue what to do.

"...We can damn well try." He said, turning his words to stone. Gajeel hated seeing Levy upset, and he'd make sure the Mistress would pay for making her cry.

 

Mermen swam swiftly this way and that, carrying large spiral columns on a system of netting. Each column, six in total, was placed delicately on the beginnings of a front porch and secured in place. The Mistress called out orders to each mermen, seahorse, manatee or dolphin working on the construction of her new palace. The underwater haven was full of loud voices and busy bubbles, but when it was to be finished, the Mistress grinned to think of the beauty it would hold.

After her rebirth at Manatee's Bluff she spent a few days finding the perfect spot to rebuild her kingdom, now she found it and was building her perfect kingdom once more. She would have just used Manatee's Bluff to rebuild what already existed of the mermaid kingdom but she underestimated the power it took to bring her soul back into a vessel and Manatee's Bluff hadn't survived.

It was no trouble really, all she had to do was reconstruct another, better palace. And this new palace would sit on a lone uncharted island in a wide expanse of the most beautiful waters the celestial gods had ever created. She smiled, the Mistress couldn't be happier with her choice of a new kingdom. Once the palace had been built they would begin construction on a new reef for the mermaids.

At long last the Mistress was finally alive again. She no longer cowered in the corner of an empty soul just waiting for the power within this girl's body to rise and bring her back to life. The Mistress now had freedom beyond anything she'd felt in the last twenty years.

A blue haired mermaid of larger stature than the others swam to the Mistress's side, Aquarius bowed her head and began a report of the construction. "The bedrooms have been established, though they are not fully furnished you will now have a place to rest your head."

"Good, build the walls strong and the beams high, I want this place to be more fortified than that wreck at Manatee's Bluff."

"Whatever you say, Luc-" Aquarius stopped herself mid sentence but it was too late. She received a glare from the Mistress. "Uh- Mistress." Aquarius corrected herself and bowed again.

"You spent too much time with that girl when she was alive. You've become attached to her haven't you? Does your loyalty waver?" The Mistress turned in Lucy's body and loomed over Aquarius. She certainly looked the part as Mistress of the Seas, with her long kelp cloak that billowed with the waves and her extravagant corseted top. Her blonde hair was pinned back, letting a few curls fall down and frame her neck. Truthfully the Mistress didn't look anything like Lucy, but she still wore Lucy's body and Aquarius kept expecting the girl to let her hair down and rip off that 'frilly' cloak. At least that's what Lucy would have done.

"My loyalty remains to you, Mistress." Aquarius wasted no time answering, lest the Mistress suspect unrest.

The Mistress turned away again, Her cloak tickled Aquarius's nose as she began to swim the other way. Aquarius followed.

"You were put in charge of this girl's well being while she was being raised correct?"

"Yes."

"And, should memory serve, the Heartfilia manor knew as well as you that this girl was nothing more than a growing vessel for me?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Then tell me," The Mistress stopped swimming, she turned a cold gaze to Aquarius. "Why is it this girl was allowed to make friendships? Surely the Heartfilia manor understood what her true purpose was. Allowing her such freedoms would only complicate things when the time came. So why did those filthy pirates claim she was close to them?"

Aquarius's lips grew thin, she thought about her words carefully before replying. "Lucy ran away from the Heartfilia manor. Jude and I tried to force her to come back but by the time we found her she had joined up with Fairy Tail. She refused to come home."

"And you let her stay with them? You didn't try harder to make sure your Mistress had a proper vessel?"

Aquarius's thoughts were reverted back to the real Lucy. She had made it very clear she wasn't going to go anywhere with Aquarius or those Phantom Lord thugs Jude hired. Lucy was so set on staying with Fairy Tail, it was clear in her eyes what the pirates meant to her, and Aquarius felt for the brat.

Even if she told herself she hated that idiot girl there was always some part of her that wanted to protect Lucy. She guessed that part had stopped her from forcing Lucy to come home, and also had caused Aquarius to lie about Lucy's true purpose when she brought her to Manatee's Bluff. 

If Lucy knew exactly why Jude and Aquarius had kept her away from any other humans, she would never have agreed to help. The only reason Aquarius sought out Lucy's help after all those years was because she had to. If the Mistress did not return her kind would be destroyed and Aquarius would be forced back into the celestial spirit world never to return. Her hand was forced, if the mermaids were to survive Lucy had to be sacrificed. Aquarius knew that, but then why did she feel like she made a mistake, why did she feel like Lucy should be here and not the Mistress?

"Aquarius!" The Mistress raised her voice and snapped the mermaid out of her reverie. "Remember you are my right had mermaid because of your position as the Water Bearer but don't think that that can't change. Should I find your loyalties lie elsewhere I won't hesitate to strip you of your current power!"

Aquarius bowed quickly. "Yes, my lady."

"Now continue the construction of our kingdom." The Mistress waved a hand and Aquarius swam off instantly. The mistress was about to return to organizing the workers but a bright pink mess on her hand caught her attention. 

The Mistress looked at the back of her hand...no, the back of Lucy's hand. The girl must have gone and got a tattoo, but for the life of her, the Mistress could not tell what this strange symbol was supposed to mean. Annoyed she wiped her palm over the insignia and it vanished with her magic. Any ties this girl used to have to the outside world were to be cut from now on. The Mistress was in control of this body, this vessel. Lucy Heartfilia no longer belonged to this world…

 

A light haired head bobbed up and down as the mermaid swam anxiously back and forth. Lolita sighed with annoyance at Rizzy's nervous antics. The two had barely escaped Manatee's Bluff when it collapsed and both of them knew full well how many hadn't survived. Now the Mistress was rebuilding their kingdom, and for what? The life of that Fairy Tail girl? 

Lolita couldn't shake the guilty conscious that weighed on her, the price for their survival had been a steep one and she had to admit she missed that Lucy kid. She'd really known how to brighten up a room. Unlike Rizzy who wouldn't stop her underwater pacing.

"Look, the Mistress gave us this time off, why are you spending it worrying?" Lolita asked, her voice dripping with discontent.

Rizzy didn't stop her anxious path of bubbles even while she replied. Her small voice rang out and she blushed slightly, "I just have a bad feeling about this."

"About what?" Lolita sat up from her newly placed bed and faced Rizzy. "The Mistress is back, and mermaid-kind doesn't have to die off after all. We have our magic back and the Mistress is rebuilding a better kingdom for us, what's there to worry about?" The casual shrug of her shoulders suggested nothing more than an ordinary day. Rizzy, however, could not get Lucy off her mind.

In the short time Lucy had spent with them the two had grown close. Lucy didn't tease her the way Lolita did, and she wasn't nearly as cruel in her word choice around a mermaid who had almost no self-esteem, as Rizzy had come to expect from Lolita. Rizzy looked up through her gray bangs. meeting Lolita's harsh gaze timidly. "Was Lucy's life really worth this?"

Lolita glared at Rizzy angrily, her red tail fin flicking back and forth. "You mean the survival of an entire species! I think hundreds of lives can easily outweigh one."

Lolita turned around, having felt she made her point. Rizzy rubbed her hands anxiously and spoke once more. "I don't think-"

Lolita whirled around once more, this time making sure to give Rizzy the wagging finger. "Listen it's already done and you can't change the past! Just stop worrying and forget about it. I swear you were born with gray hair because if you weren't your hair surely would have fallen out with all this nonsense. Get some sleep, Riz." Lolita swam away but looked back over her shoulder at Rizzy. The red tailed mermaid was usually sharp tongued but she could be sensitive when the time called for it.

Rizzy sighed, she followed Lolita to the beds and was just about to lay down when someone burst in through the seaweed curtain. "Don't even think about sleeping, you two!" A loud booming voice called out, startling each mermaid out of her spot on the beds. Aquarius was looming over Rizzy and Lolita, her large stature towering easily over the two smaller mermaids. "I have a job for the both of you."

"What do you mean 'a job'? The Mistress said we were done for the day, try asking one of the night workers." Lolita talked back crossing her arms.

"This isn't a task of building the new kingdom. I want you to find those Fairy Tail brats and bring them here."

Lolita and Rizzy nearly jumped at what Aquarius suggested. Rizzy gasped, bringing her hands up to her mouth while Lolita blew her fuse. "Are you crazy!? You want to get us all killed? The Mistress would have our heads if we did that! And why the hell do you want to bring them here anyway?"

Aquarius put on the face of someone who should not be messed with, her stone cold gaze pierced through Lolita's confidence. "Just do what I tell you or I'll fry you like the fish you are!"

Reluctantly Lolita and Rizzy gathered supplies for a long trip. They didn't know where the fairies were but it's not hard for mermaids to find something they're looking for, especially if that something sailed the seven seas. Aquarius made sure the plan was hush-hush and ushered both mermaids to the edges of the construction work and behind some boulders before she sent them away.

Aquarius urged them to be hasty and Rizzy, responding badly to being rushed, hurried on ahead with a scared expression. Lolita stopped to question the older mermaid's motives.

"Why do you really want those Fairy Tail pirates here? Are you thinking of killing the Mistress so Lucy can live?" Aquarius didn't answer but she didn't have to. The forlorn look in her eye was all Lolita needed to see the truth. "You can't have both of them you know. If you bring Lucy back the Mistress will die-"

"I know that, now get going before I change my mind!" She snapped, returning the harsh look to her face.

"Do you mean to kill us all?" Lolita remained in her spot, speaking calmly. "We can't live without the Mistress's magic."

Her forehead began popping with veins and Aquarius raised a hand to the bridge of her nose. She turned her back so Lolita could not see her expression. "I'm asking you to sacrifice yourselves for the sake of this idiotic girl. Are you okay with that?"

It was a long while before Lolita answered again. When she did she turned her back as well and shrugged her shoulders carelessly. "Eh, it's boring around here without her anyway." Her strong, playful words masked the fear and guilt she felt.

Aquarius smiled, "Don't inform Fairy Tail of the possibility we could die after this, they will surely refuse the mission. And make sure Rizzy understands that too."

Lolita nodded, then realizing Aquarius wasn't even looking at her she mumbled her agreement. Lolita swam off without anymore trouble. The Mistress would flay them alive if this plan failed. If the fairies couldn't return Lucy to her own body and thus kick the Mistress of the Seas to the curb, then everything would be in ruins.

The way Lolita saw it, Lucy was worth a lot more than some reassurance of a nice lifestyle for the mermaids. Though she would never admit her fondness of that girl to anyone, that would undermine Lolita's disinterested reputation.

The mermaid pushed all thoughts to the back of her mind as she kicked her tail faster and faster to catch up to Rizzy. Mermaids were exceptionally fast swimmers but even so they would have to hurry if the Mistress wasn't going to suspect anything. Lolita only hoped Aquarius could keep their whereabouts a secret until they got back. She grimaced to think about what would happen if this plan failed. A lot was riding on its success and success seemed worlds away.

 

There wasn't a true objective for Fairy Tail until they figured out how to get Lucy back. Returning to Manatee's Bluff would prove nothing and Erza guessed her crew could all use a break. So she ordered Elfman to steer towards Tenroujima Island. There they would be able to relax and take a breather before they jumped back into the fray. Erza had not a doubt in her mind that more hardships were ahead, though when the size of those hurdles can't be seen it's best to prepare for the worst.

"Why are we sailing for Tenrou?" The she-devil asked Erza, clear determination in her eyes.

Erza turned her head to speak to Mira, "I think it's a good idea for everyone to wind down and relax until I can figure out a way to find Lucy."

"In other words, you're taking on all the responsibilities and pushing everyone else away...like always." There was a playful glint in Mira's eyes as well as a bittersweet reminiscence. 

Erza's words failed her, she had no reply to Mira's obvious ability to see straight through her strong mask. "Well I'm not going to sit back while Lucy could be in danger. You'll have to deal with me helping you for a while." Mira winked, turning away to lean on the ship's railing.

"I wouldn't be a man if I didn't help too!" Elfman piped up, having heard the whole conversation.

"You can count me in as well." Gray spoke up from a few feet away. The look in his eyes was deadly serious and the way his face was placed in a permanent pout was unnerving. But his words served to lighten his serious expression and while he announced he wasn't going to lose Lucy after losing Natsu, Juvia swung her hips back and forth fawning over his noble actions.

"I want to help in any way I can, too!" Wendy walked beside Gray, holding Carla in her arms. The white cat studied Erza with golden eyes.

Erza let a smile light her lips. "Right. We'll find Lucy together, as Fairy Tail pirates!" Somehow hearing a sort of plan come from Erza's lips made it official, and lightened up the fairies spirits. Fairy Tail lost Natsu, and they may never be the same again, but at least they still knew how to work together. 

Erza swore her life on saving Lucy. Just as Natsu never gave up until his dying breath, she wouldn't let Lucy down. She planned to follow Natsu's lead, besides the previous Fairy Tail masters would certainly never forgive her if she let a comrade die.

Tenroujima Island was just as every fairy remembered it to be. With one massive mangrove tree sitting in the middle of the island and bountiful forests all around, it was reminiscent of another time. It seemed like no years had gone by since they last visited but in fact it had been many years, seven to be precise. Erza guided the crew into shallow waters and weighed anchor. A large wooden plank was let down as a ramp, Fairy Tail poured off the boat enjoying the summer island breeze.

Erza didn't step off though, she went straight back into the bay where Fairy Tail did most of it's strategic planning. Years ago Fairy Tail might have used this room to plan out battle strategies in the war against Acnologia, since they broke off from Fiore's navy it had been used to plan raids for money or treasures. Since Natsu died the room had only been used to hold s-class meetings. It had definitely gathered some dust since then. Erza took a gander at the map of Fiore on the wall and began planning out likely routes the Mistress of the Seas would have taken.

As promised the core members of Fairy Tail came by to help. With so many extra heads it should have increased their thinking process but the fairies seemed to get nowhere. There were just too many possibilities of where the Mistress had taken Lucy, and knowing next to nothing about mermaids didn't help.

Even Levy's text information about the elusive mermaids only provided them with details about the mermaids past and not a clue about where the mermaids were now. Erza was beginning to see how much harder this was proving to be.

"Master!" Jet rammed open the door, eyes wide and breathing hard. Everyone in the bay turned to listen to the newcomer as he caught his breath. "Er- we uh, found mermaids..outside, by the ship."

Gray stood up from his seat immediately, knocking over his chair in the process. "What! You found the mermaids?!"

Jet failed to remain calm under Gray's obvious agitation. "Well- uh, they sort of found us." He finally took a deep breath and addressed Erza once more. "They're requesting to see Natsu."

The name still struck sadness in Erza's glass heart. She hardened her expression and decided to follow Jet to where these mermaids were. Having nothing better to do, the rest of Fairy Tail gathered to watch the spectacle.

Erza and Gray descended the plank side by side, they looked over two figures in the middle of the crowd of Fairy Tail members. The women didn't seem to be mermaids, as they stood on the beach with the rest of Fairy Tail, but the strange seaweed green and light gray hair was enough to convince Erza they weren't exactly human.

Erza confronted the girls with the same amount of contempt she felt for every intruder on her family's island. "Tenroujima Island belongs to Fairy Tail." She spoke first, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword ready to unsheathe it if necessary. "You shouldn't even be allowed on this island but seeing as you kidnapped our friend. I'll allow you to stay, so long as you explain yourselves." She kept her words sharp and clear, belting them out loud for all to hear.

The bustier, gray haired girl shifted her feet as her face grew red and uncertain. The taller mermaid, with green hair, spoke. "We don't want any trouble. Actually we want to bring you to our Mistress." Her expression and words were flat. Erza didn't trust her. "My name's Lolita, and this is Rizzy." She pointed to herself and to the gray haired girl beside her. "Aquarius ordered us to bring you to the Mistress of the Seas."

The way she dropped off her words suggested she expected the fairies full cooperation. Her surprised expression confirmed that's exactly what she thought as Erza leveled a sword at her throat.

"Why would we trust you?"

Lolita nervously glanced down at the sword, now touching skin. She brought up her hands defensively. "Look, I already said we don't wanna start anything. Aquarius just wants to help you." Erza moved the sword a fraction of an inch closer to Lolita's throat and the mermaid stumbled over hastily spilled words. "W-we want to bring Lucy back! We thought if we helped you by telling you where the Mistress is, we could all come up with a plan to get her back!"

Erza's expression changed. From what she understood these mermaids were the ones who stole Lucy away in the first place and had somehow forced another soul into her body, the Mistress of the Seas. Now they wanted to bring Lucy  _ back _ ? Everything they did was contradictory.

Gray growled beside her; "You're the ones that kidnapped Lucy in the first place and now you want to help her? That doesn't make any sense!"

"It's true." Lolita regained a bit of her confidence as Erza lowered her sword. "We want to help Lucy but the Mistress is too powerful for us, we'll need your help."

"What do you gain from it?" Gajeel stepped up to ask them.

"What do we gain?"

"You heard me, why do you want to help Lucy after going to all that trouble of kidnapping her?"

Lolita didn't answer immediately, in the silence Rizzy decided to finally say something. "Lucy was a friend." More eyebrows were raised at that statement and Rizzy blushed furiously as she explained herself. 

"You must understand we didn't kidnap Lucy, we asked her to help us find our Mistress. But something must have gone wrong and now the Mistress has taken Lucy's body as her own." Rizzy hung her head so as not to look at all the prying eyes. "We never wanted this to happen and now we only want to set things right!" Rizzy's words seemed to do more good than Lolita could have done and all of Fairy Tail seemed somehow more at ease.

The fairies gathered around themselves and talked quietly. "I don't really trust these mermaid freaks." Gray put in his thoughts. "This all just seems way too convenient for them, if they wanted to lure us into a trap this would be a good way to do it."

"But these mermaids don't seem to be of any high ranking status, so they must be following someone's orders. If they are lying and are leading us into a trap then we can assume it's on the Mistress's orders, but that doesn't make sense because the Mistress could have easily killed us at Manatee's Bluff." Mira countered.

"So you think they're telling the truth? Does Aquarius really want to bring Lucy back?" Erza began. "I suppose it wouldn't be too hard to believe given the past Aquarius and Lucy share. Even so I'm reluctant to lead us into what could be a deadly trap."

"But Lu-chan is in danger! Can we really afford to not take the risk? If it means we could save Lucy I think it's worth it." Levy pointed out. Though most other Fairy Tail members failed to share her point of view.

Erza gritted her teeth. "Nothing about this makes any sense. I don't want to follow these mermaids anywhere without a guarantee we can trust them."

"If Natsu were here he wouldn't stop at anything to get Lucy back!" Cana spoke up her arms crossed as she surveyed the crowd around her. "If there was any sort of chance she could be saved he would never give up until he saved her. Now, here we are with a big sirloin slapped in our faces and you're worried if it's poisoned? I say, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. If it's a trap then it's a trap and we'll be ready. But in the meantime there's no way I can sit back while Lucy is off god knows where when we could be helping her!" 

Cana's words rang out with more truth than Fairy Tail had heard in a while. She was right in every way. Lucy was in trouble while this Mistress of the Seas paraded around in her body and they'd be foolish to turn down a chance to save her.

Every pirate present considered Cana's words and knew they couldn't refuse. "Cana's right." Erza spoke as master and addressed her shipmates. "These mermaids are providing us a means to confront the Mistress and get Lucy back. We'd be foolish to decline even if it is a trap. We'll go with the mermaids but I want everyone to be on their guard. When the time comes, we will be ready for anything." Erza dispersed the group and faced the mermaids again. "Alright. Take us to where Lucy is."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mermaids are here to help but they underestimate their enemy.

Fairy Tail sailed through rough waters and multiple sea storms, each one damaging the ship more so than the last. Elfman was busy helping Gajeel and Pantherlily on repairs to the ship when the bow spliced through the waters. Wendy raised the flags and climbed to the pulpit to scout.

When her silent hand gesture meaning all was clear came, Erza allowed herself some time to breathe. She steered the wheel in the direction they needed to go. Slowly, Fairy Tail crept up to the deserted island. Erza had her doubts about being here but the two mermaids who had been directing her assured them this was the place. The place where the Mistress of the Seas was apparently rebuilding the mermaid kingdom.

"There's no one here now," Lolita began. "but no doubt they'll be here soon. I hope you have a plan?" She turned to the scarlet haired pirate who remained silent.

"Fairy Tail will demand Lucy be brought back to us!" She answered confidently after a while.

Lolita looked flabbergasted, she rose above Erza's head as she yelled; "That's it! You're just going to waltz in and demand Lucy back? Do you have any idea how powerful the Mistress of the Seas is? She'll destroy you!"

Erza turned to Lolita, a scandalous glint in her eye. "Do not underestimate the power of Fairy Tail! If I force them it will work!"

Lolita nearly pulled out her own hair trying to talk some sense into the red head. "You're crazy if you think that's gonna be enough! You're up against the most powerful celestial being on the seven seas!"

Rizzy sighed and looked away from the bickering two. She wrung her hands together and hung her head. They may have managed to lead Fairy Tail here but Aquarius had not instructed them on what to do after. Rizzy didn't even think they would have gotten this far. Now that they had she was worrying her grey hair away.

"I assume you're working alone," Gray came up to her saying. "So how much resistance should we expect?"

Rizzy didn't meet his gaze as she said. "The Mistress has loyalty over many of our kind. I doubt there is any mermaid or mermen besides us that isn't working with her."

Gray scoffed and turned his gaze to the sun, soon about to fall on the waterline. "Perfect. It'd be boring any other way."

Rizzy looked at the pirate curiously, the small smile that crossed his lips and the determined look in his eye. She couldn't make heads or tail of these fairies. How did they find the strength to be so determined, so confident in their own power? Especially after they had just lost their Master, or so they had informed Lolita and Rizzy. How did they find the courage to stand up to a celestial being as powerful as the Mistress. She would have thought them fools had she not been introduced to Lucy's superior mind. Then again, maybe they were just fools with a purpose.

By all means a ship as large as Fairy Tail should have been seen from miles around and the lumbering shadow it cast under water should have been noticed by every mermaid within an hour. Still Fairy Tail sat in the deck, waiting, planning how to incapacitate the Mistress without hurting Lucy. Many ideas were spoken, and many more cast out as impossible. 

Finally Erza broke the thoughtful silence by saying, "I don't like how long we've waited. The mermaids must know we are here by now. Whether we succeed to catch the Mistress or not we cannot delay any longer." Erza turned to the side of the ship and demanded the plank be lowered onto the island sands.

Fairy Tail hurried around each other grabbing weapons as fast as they could and those who did joined Erza walking down the plank to the water's edge. The Mistress came the same time the first pirates foot hit the sand.

Fairy Tail had thought they were waiting for her but it was the other way around. The Mistress of the Seas swirled out of the water on a typhoon of blue. She didn't look at all surprised to see Erza's sword levelled at her. Seeing Lucy so unlike herself struck hard in the hearts of the pirates. Her hair had been pinned back, kept high with a intricate coral crown of the deepest pinks. Tendrils of her kelp cloak billowed with the torrent of water around her. She wore a deep purple corseted top with a seaweed skirt and high heeled sandals that bore too many straps up her shins.

"Fairy Tail was it?" Her deep voice rang out, seeming to bounce off the palm trees and echo with the wind. "I did not think you would have been so foolish. Perhaps it is you do not understand the extend of my celestial powers."

"You have no right to parade around in Lucy's body!" Erza shouted.

The Mistress's eyes narrowed but aside from minor facial movements she did not acknowledge Erza at all. Instead her attention turned to the deck. There, Erza realized, Rizzy and Lolita still stood, both mermaids locked in a state of panic, teeth gritted and eyes wide.

"I see…" The Mistress spoke. "It is of my own people who have brought you here...I couldn't be more disappointed." Fake-Lucy raised her hand. The ocean responded, blasting Fairy Tail with a large wave. It rocked the ship and knocked the unprepared overboard, including the two mermaids. 

Erza had had enough of watching this horrid act, she charged into the water unknowing of what she was trying to accomplish. Her sword swung clear through the raging waters under the Mistress and yet she kept slashing.

The Mistress looked annoyed as she prepared to swat the fly below her. Before another move could be made, her attention had to be drawn to dodge an arrow aimed for her head. "You'll regret making an enemy of Fairy Tail." A dark haired pirate said to her already notching another arrow and raising it to her head. The Mistress looked distressed. She visibly gritted her teeth but if she was planning on counterattacking Erza drew her attention once more.

Although her sword had been swinging at water it seemed to be doing something. Suddenly the pillar of water that the Mistress summoned to stand upon was deteriorating. It seemed Erza's slashes were scattering the water faster than it could reform. Nonetheless the Mistress raised her hand and Erza was enveloped in a ball of water.

She was raised into the air, no one moved as she was leveled with the Mistress. The ball of water slowly eroded until Erza was standing on a spiral of water just like the Mistress. A stunned look crossed her face as she met with Fake-Lucy's blue eyes.

"If you want to challenge me so badly, then fine. I will give you the chance to fight as my equal. My magic will keep you in the air like me. Maybe then this'll actually be a challenge?" An evil smiled licked its way up her lips.

Erza steadied herself, then once she regained her balance, raised her swords, ready to fight. Her steely eyes were only focussed on the Mistress.

"Erza!" Gray called to her from the ship. "Be careful when you're fighting this chick! You don't wanna hurt Lucy!

Erza shifted, her twin swords pointed forward, "I know that! But we don't have a choice right now. This wretched creature is inside Lucy's body, I must find a way to eject her!"

Fake-Lucy snarled. "You dare insult me!"

The two forces met with a large clash in the sky. Each one's respective torrent of power flying around at their will. Erza was strong but the Mistress had some fierce powers on her side as well. Steel swords met with a watery katana, and the two were almost evenly matched.

"Erza's amazing!" Lecy cooed from beside Gray. "To be able to match the Mistress of the Seas while maintaining balance on a water vortex!"

Gray grimaced. "That's Erza for you."

"Aye!" Happy cawed flying around the railing.

Erza was taking some serious blows from the Mistress's watery blade, blows which she matched back at the Mistress with certainty. Within minutes both sides were panting, bleeding and facing each other each aware of how evenly matched they were.

Erza steadied herself, raised her swords and willed her torrent of water to surge forward at the Mistress. The Mistress was already worn down from the fight, another blow from Erza could mean her defeat. Only the Mistress doesn't play fair and before Erza could reach her she was blasted off balance with a small tidal wave. The water pillar that was holding her up vanished and she plunged into watery depths.

"Bastard!" Gray shouted wasting no time in reacting. In his anger he jumped over the railing and launched himself at the Mistress sending both of them flying onto the island where they landed on a rocky plateau. Gray pinned the Mistress to the rock wall, a dagger in his trembling hand while his arm pinned her neck, restricting her movement.

"Erza!" Jellal raced to the edge, leaping toward where Erza fell and plunged under the sea in search for her when she didn't come back to the surface.

"That was a dirty trick!" Gray continued his rage.

The Mistress of the Seas laughed. Her crown was askew and her locks had fallen almost completely out of it's bun. Gray wanted nothing more than to make her scream but he couldn't bring the knife up to Lucy's throat. Not only was his arm still broken but the thought of hurting Lucy was beyond his imagination.

"I warned you of my power!" She snarled. "Here's a tip for you." She moved under Gray's grip he couldn't react in time as she clenched the broken arm and twisted. "don't leave your weaknesses open!" Gray screamed in pain, his knees doubled bringing him at the feet of the Lucy imposter.

"Gray-sama!" A sort of war cry was uttered from the beach. Juvia came charging up the rocky plateau a long spear in her hands. Her actions seemed to sprout a rebellion in Fairy Tail and the remaining members charged behind her.

Juvia caught up to the Mistress quickly, she barely had time to dodge the flying spear. Gray saw a spray of blood come from fake-Lucy's cheek. "No! Juvia don't!" He moved between the raging female and her target.

Gray was hugging the broken arm to his chest, his good arm grabbing ahold of Juvia's spear before she could do any damage to Lucy. In the frenzy of the oncoming pirates the Mistress began to panic. Her water sprayed around in a 360 degree attack. The pounding of feet overwhelmed Gray and Juvia as he fell into her arms, a sharp pain in his back confirming he'd been hit.

Had the Mistress not been so quick on her feet Fairy Tail might have overpowered her enough to bind her. But that was not the case, she hopped off the edge of the plateau and used the waters to carry her out of humanly reach. 

Mirajane matched her quick speed and high flying with tremendous leaps. Still Mira was knocked out of the air and beaten back to the island's hot sands.

Gajeel ended up crashing into the islands palm trees. Pantherlily joined him moments later. Elfman and Lisanna had to save themselves from drowning. Wendy found herself crashing back onto the ship nearly landing on Carle in the process. Laxus and his team tried a combination attack coming at all sides, the Mistress blasted them away leaving them scattered around the area unconscious.

Erza coughed up some water while Jellal held her afloat in the sea. Together they swam to shore. She was holding her shoulder and hunched over but that didn't keep her anger from arising at the sight of her comrades falling. Jellal watched her eyes grow wide, her hands clenched and her expression turned dark.

Somehow she procured a discarded lance and ran back into the waters under the Mistress. Jellal had to hold her back. "Erza! Calm down!" He tried to get her attention.

"No! How dare you steal Lucy away from us! She deserves to live her own life you have no right to take that away from her!"

All he needed was one look at the shambles Fairy Tail had gotten themselves in and Jellal called back the pirates. "Erza we have to leave! She'll kill us all!"

"I can fight! You get the others out of here!" She tried again to remove herself from his grip but he didn't let up.

"That means you too!" He shouted, moving in front of her and forcing her attention. "We can't lose any more of our family!" His voice cracked slightly as he sunk his head lower than her chest. The words alone seemed to tremble. 

Erza found his anguish wrought eyes, he rarely ever looked so desperate. No matter how much her anger had built over losing Natsu and Lucy she couldn't betray Jellal. She knew he was only trying to look out for her.

Erza lowered her head so her hair hid her face. What few members of Fairy Tail hadn't been defeated were now doing all they could to stand up to the Mistress. "Re-retreat!" The command rang out.

"Back to the ship!" She picked up an unconscious Mira and ran to the ship still shouting the order to retreat. Fairy Tail eventually found their way on board, almost all of them bleeding, bearing wounds that would turn into scars.

"Fleeing again puny fairies!" The Mistress hadn't forgotten about them and her deep voice rang out chilling their blood. "Do not think I will let you go so easily!" Her blue eyes intensified, once again came the blue aura that had surrounded her before. it built up brightness until she concentrated it to her hands.

Before Fairy Tail could sail away there came a powerful whirlpool pulling them closer. There was nothing any of the members could do to control the ship and they were left at the mercy of the gods, or goddess in this sense.

The seas in the center of the whirlpool opened up, Fairy Tail fell downwards, out of control. The Mistress of the Seas was busy preparing a powerful blast of her magic that would certainly destroy the ship.

Erza would have sworn they were done for had a wall of water not protected them at the last minute as the blast was fired. The waters calmed down, a large hole was left in the wall of water that protected them. Erza craned herself over the railing to get a better look.

Between them and the Mistress a single mermaid floated in the air, an ewer held between her hands like a weapon.

"Aquarius…" She snarled at the blue mermaid. "I should have known Rizzy and Lolita weren't working alone." Aquarius said nothing, but stared daggers at the entity in Lucy's body.

As the Mistress prepared another magic blast attack Aquarius reacted. She swung her ewer in the air, all in an instant water sprayed out of the small jug and formed into a wave which carried Fairy Tail far away from the island, and far away from Lucy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fairy Tail finds friends in watery places~

“What were you idiots thinking!” Aquarius scolded the entire crew of Fairy Tail when they were finally free from danger. “Taking the Mistress head on is a death wish! And what’s more you could’ve killed Lucy as well!” 

The battered crew sat in silence in the hull of the ship, most members sitting around a large table while others stood behind them. Aquarius took a moment to scold them the minute the large wave stopped them on the far side of Fiore. With a booming voice, hands on her hips, and a sharpened glare she looked over each member scrutinously. Many of them had casts, those that didn’t had bandages and others still were being kept in sick bay. 

Gray stood up quickly, speaking his mind where the rest of Fairy Tail remained quiet. He winced at the sudden action but remained resolute. Gray had taken a blow to the back from the Mistress but he refused to stay in sick bay after his wounds were treated. Now he stood with the rest of Fairy Tail bent on getting at least one of his best friends back before the Mistress took anymore. “What were we supposed to do then, huh? Just let Lucy be controlled by that water witch?!” 

Gray confronted her, Aquarius met the pirate’s bad attitude with a will of her own. “You’re supposed to strategize! If you had come to me for help I probably could’ve found a way around this!”

Erza, who was slightly more level headed, took Gray’s place. “If you have any better ideas we’d love to hear about them.”

Aquarius's frown increased, she sighed. “First of all, it’s hardly wise to go charging into battle over something you barely understand.” Fairy Tail directed it’s full attention to Aquarius as she explained. “The Mistress of the Seas is a goddess, and as such she requires the connection of a human vessel to appear in our world. We rely on her as much as she relies on us. Like I explained to Lucy, mermaids need magic to survive, magic that the Mistress provides. In order for the Mistress to provide us with magic she needs the faith and devotion of all mermaids. Which is why sharing a kingdom in the overworld with mermaids is so imperative to our loyalty to her. After the Mistress’s vessel is destroyed, as it was twenty years ago, a new one must be raised. Thats where Lucy came in. 

“Lucy was supposed to be the next vessel for the Mistress,” Aquarius turned her gaze from Fairy Tail and her eyes darkened. “That’s why we needed her, so the Mistress could use her as a vessel and restore our magic. Going too long without magic for mermaids is fatal and twenty years was much too long already. I had to make the choice of saving my own kind at the expense of Lucy’s life. I regretted that decision immediately.”

“What does that mean?” Levy stood up. “Is Lu-chan gone forever then? Can’t we get her back?” 

“I was getting to that. Lucy isn’t gone, she’s just dormant. Her soul still lives inside her body with the Mistress, but too much suppression could send her soul to the spirit world permanently. In other words, the Mistress will eventually become the  _ only  _ soul occupying Lucy’s body. I don’t know how long Lucy has, as it is she’s probably halfway to the spirit world already. So we have to force the Mistress’s spirit out by severing her connection to this world.” 

“But you said Lucy was her connection, wouldn’t that mean-” Gray started, meaning to imply Lucy’s death but his words caught in his throat and hung in the air. 

“Lucy’s not her only connection. Yes the Mistress needs a vessel to appear here, but she also needs the spiritual connection of a lacrima. When Lucy touched the lacrima at Manatee’s Bluff she awakened the connection between her and the Mistress. Then the Mistress was allowed to take over. If we destroy the lacrima the Mistress won’t have that connection anymore.”

“And she’ll be forced to leave Lucy’s body?” Erza finished.

“Yes, but we need to engage a plan to do this quickly. I’ve only ever heard of a soul affected by divine possession surviving for a few weeks at most. Lucy doesn’t have much time left.”

“So if we destroy this lacrima, Lucy will come back to us. It sounds easy but there must be more to it.” Erza stated. 

“There is.” Aquarius confirmed. “The lacrima has been merfolks sacred artifact for eons, even getting close to it under normal circumstances would be hard. Given that the Mistress is guarding it, makes it almost impossible.”

“If this lacrima is so heavily guard then how the hell do we get close enough to destroy it?” Gajeel started by asking the important question. 

Aquarius pondered for a moment. “The Mistress knows of my betrayal, and of Rizzy and Lolita’s...which means she’ll be expecting an attack soon. If I didn’t have to expose myself by protecting you we might have had a chance at getting close!” She spoke with purposeful blame in her voice. Fairy Tail visibly shied away, Aquarius continued. “It won’t be easy, to state the obvious. But with my remaining magic we might be able to do it.”

“I guess you have a plan then?” Said Gray.

“It may be a long shot but if I can disguise some of you as mermaids do you think you could get close enough to destroy the lacrima?”

Fairy Tail was lost in thought, Erza was the one who spoke next after a long silence. “Fairy Tail will do whatever is necessary to protect our friends.”

“Juvia would like to volunteer.” A small, calm voice spoke up from the back of the room. “Lucy protected Juvia once, she wants to return the favor.”

Gray raised his hand next, “There’s no way I’m not going. Lucy’s my best friend and that witch killed Natsu. I got a bone to pick with her.” 

“I would also like to go,” Erza started. “And I would like to lead you in this, Gray,” She turned to the pirate in question a somber look on her face. “but you are hurt already from the last battle. I can’t risk you getting hurt again.”

“What!” Gray’s face pulsed with rage, his fists clenched as he rounded on Erza. “Are you saying I can’t handle it!? Erza I gotta help Lucy! I-”

“I know!” Her voice penetrated the air, stopping Gray in his tracks. “But we don’t have time enough for you to heal. Lucy needs our help now, and you are too wounded to carry out this mission.”

His face sunk, bangs hiding his expression. “I gotta help Lucy…”

Erza came up to him and laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “But you’ll be no good to her dead. Please Gray…” Erza’s voice shifted and she suddenly spoke with purpose and love. “Promise me you will stay safe on the ship.”

Gray seemed taken aback by her request. He stared at her for a while contemplating how hard it must be for her to watch him risk his life. “Erza…”

“PROMISE!”  She commanded not giving Gray much of a choice.

“...Fine...I’ll stay here.” He said finally.

Gajeel stood up. “I’ll go in Gray’s place.” He locked eyes with Gray as he said, “Don’t worry, ice princess, I’ll make sure Lucy’s safe.” Gray remained expressionless but sat down and the next volunteer spoke up. 

In the end the list of Fairy Tail pirates to go into mermaid territory was; Juvia, Erza, Gajeel, Levy, Wendy, and Cana accompanied by Aquarius. 

“Very well,” Erza began taking up position next to Aquarius as leader. “we have enough volunteers to make this work. Keep in mind it’s an espionage mission so we’ll have to be as quiet as possible. We also don’t have much time, we’ll only have one shot!”

“C’mon!” Cana began to shout, lifting their spirits. “Let’s do this one for Lucy!” She cheered with the rest of Fairy Tail, now congregating outside the interior of the ship ready for action.

Erza addressed Aquarius when the rest had left. “We have to make this work. Which means I’ll be counting on you as much as them.” She studied Aquarius with a sideways glance.

Aquarius turned her head, “I wouldn’t have come here if I thought it wasn’t possible. I assure you I will do everything in my power to bring that brat back.” 

Erza smiled, content enough with the conviction Aquarius had shown so far. She followed Fairy Tail outside. 

Bringing the ship too close to the new mermaid kingdom might be too risky, Fairy Tail would have to rely on the mermaid abilities they obtained from Aquarius if they wanted to get close. Of course, though, the Mistress has already seen Erza’s face and has most likely warned her kind of the redhead. So Aquarius added a bit more magic to make Erza’s hair change color and shape, that way she wouldn’t be recognized. Instead of it’s usual red locks she now had deep purple hair that curled below her waist. In the meantime Fairy Tail opted for a decoy. They would sail the ship close to the Mistress’s kingdom. Close enough to open fire and engage in naval combat with most of the mermaids. This was meant keep the Mistress occupied long enough for the disguised pirates to sneak into where the lacrima was being kept. If luck was on their side and all went according to plan they may be able to make this work. 

Erza waited under the water her purple tail slashing back and forth getting tangled every time it passed through her extra long locks of hair. She knew too well the odds of this mission going awry and just the thought she could lose Lucy made her shiver. Wendy, Cana, Juvia, Levy, Gajeel and Aquarius waited with her watching her grow more agitated by the second. 

“Juvia hopes it is not too late to save Lucy.” Juvia turned to her friends and stated her fears. 

Aquarius muttered something incomprehensible under her breath, then loud enough to hear she said; “Given previous vessels track records it may already be too late.”

“I don’t know about everyone else,” Levy spoke up addressing the entire group. “but I’d rather believe in Lucy’s resolve to survive than give up now!”

“Right!” Wendy agreed. “Lucy is strong, she would never give up so we can’t either.” 

“Even so, I wish we had more certainty this will work.” Erza voiced still swishing her tail back and forth and staring to the surface where Fairy Tail was trying to get the Mistress’s attention. When the fighting between Fairy Tail and the mermaids began was Erza’s que to lead her comrades into the kingdom, find the lacrima and destroy it. 

Gajeel scoffed in his usual mannerisms and slammed a fist into his palm. “C’mon. We’re fuucking Fairy Tail for crying out loud! The entire continent of Fiore knows we’re the strongest pirates in the world. We can’t fail.” Gajeel held a confident shit-eating grin while his sharkman teeth looked even more menacing up close. His words may have motivated the others but Erza remained unsure. 

She sighed, then shook her head of the uncertainty, knowing if she let it consume her the worst would be inevitable. She smiled slightly at Gajeels speech and forced herself to relax a bit. Elfman let the first cannon fire fly, it struck the water with no serious damage but exploded the minute it touched any sort of surface. From a safe distance under the water Erza and her comrades could see the cannon ball had impacted a large portion of the mermaids newly built kingdom. Mermen and mermaids swam around the damaged area irritated and more than a little furious. She saw flashing of spears, gnashing of teeth, and some dared to get close to Fairy Tail only to be nearly blasted out of the water by repeating cannon fire. 

A few minutes of watching the merfolk struggle and the Mistress decided to show herself. If they weren’t already concealed by magic and a reef trench Erza would have ducked. The way the Mistress looked around her destroyed kingdom suggested she saw everything. Her eagle eyes- no- Lucy’s eyes searched everywhere with tremendous precision. The Mistress took one look at the pirate ship floating above her and snarled. She quickly ordered a small infantry to be gathered amidst the barrage of cannon balls. 

Erza moved forward when the Mistress led her armies to the surface. She didn’t say a word and motioned for the others to remain quiet as well. They swiftly spliced through the waters with the quickness gained from their merfolk tails. The disguised pirates made their way quickly around fallen spiral columns and broken reef structures. The merfolk that weren’t fighting were causing a mass confusion among the rubble. Fairy Tail made use of the chaos, because there wasn’t anything more profitable on the battlefield than confusion. 

Finding an entrance to the Mistress’s quarters was easy. After all it’s hard to miss a castle of stonework sitting atop a large coral reef, especially when the sunlight shone through the surface perfectly enveloping the crests of it’s architecture. The castle was much bigger than any of the other buildings around it, and it practically screamed royalty. Erza found it fitting for someone as big headed as the Mistress. 

So far, so good, Fairy Tail had made it through the panicked merfolk without being noticed but the Mistress was still no fool. She had guards heavily posted within and around her castle. Although the few on the outskirts of the castle were preoccupied with watching a pirate ship blow up their home, but the rest inside the castle would not be so distracted. One by one Aquarius hurried each Fairy Tail member into the underside of the castle. 

The tunnel Aquarius led them into seemed to have been a clandestine and unfinished project. There were broken light crystals placed along some parts of the walls but they ended the closer they got to the inside of the castle. The tunnel started out as a mere cave barely big enough to crawl in and expanded into a tightly fit corridor made of meticulously placed stones. 

In keeping with the silence Wendy crawled out of the tunnel first. She came back a few minutes later with her usual ‘all is clear’ hand sign. The pirates followed her out into the prison. Cells lined the walls containing varying torture items from chains to foreign merfolk devices, that Erza didn’t want to even think about what they were used for. They kept up their silent raid by allowing Aquarius to take the lead, saying with hand signs they were to follow closely and quietly. Cana however stayed back, no one noticed until Erza did a quick head count. She looked behind her and saw the darkly colored mermaid by a cell talking in hushed tones to someone Erza couldn’t see.

“Cana!” She whispered into her friends ear loudly. “What are you do-” Before she could finish her question a familiar seaweed green head of hair came into her view. 

“You guys are gonna get us out of here, right? I think Rizzy’s going to pace herself into an early grave if ya don’t.” Cana and Erza looked from Lolita, held captive with Rizzy behind bars, to each other. Erza shot her a look of distress trying to portray how important this mission was and how little space there was for things like this. Cana replied with a determined face on, as if to say,  _ “They’re our friends, and we help friends.” _

Erza resigned herself with a frustrated grunt and grabbed the hilt of her sword. Using the blunt side, she smashed the lock on Rizzy and Lolita’s cage. Both mermaids swam out as fast as they could. 

“Ah ha ha! I knew you’d come for us! You Fairy Tail pirates have a soft spot for that kinda stuff!” Lolita announced loudly doing a little backflip and truly enjoying her freedom. 

“T-thank you very much!” Rizzy did a little bow. “It was very cramped in there.” 

“Look guys keep it down!” Cana warned them. “We’re trying to destroy the lacrima without drawing attention to ourselves.”

“Oh so it’s a top secret spy mission!” Lolita said with a glint in her eye. 

Erza then confronted everyone present. “We need to keep our voices down if this is going to w-”

“What are you still doing here!?” Levy came in hurriedly, worry clear as day on her face. “Aquarius wants us all to stay together.” Suddenly her eyes wandered to the two new mermaids before her. “Rizzy and Lolita!”

“‘Sup?” Lolita flashed Levy a casual wave, as if they weren’t in a life or death situation. 

“Hello.” Rizzy answered more quietly. 

“There’s been a change of plans. We can’t possibly move together efficiently with this amount of people now.” Erza began as quietly as she could. “Rizzy, Lolita?” Each mermaid addressed gave Erza their full attention. “Am I right to presume you would know where the Mistress’s precious lacrima is being kept?”

Lolita shrugged. “Sure. Just about every mermaid knows that.”

Erza nodded her head. “Good. Then you two can lead us to it. Levy, go back to Aquarius and tell her we are splitting up!”

Levy hesitated before saying. “Are you sure?” She nervously tapped both index fingers together as she met Erza’s steel gaze. “I mean, in every horror story if they split up everyone dies…”

Erza seemed honestly confused at Levy’s uncertainty. “Why would what we are doing be relevant to a fictional horror story?”

Levy puffed out a stream of bubbles. “Fine. We’ll split up, just make sure you get there in one piece.”

“You have my word. Now hurry, we are running out of time!”

Levy, with new determination on her face, thrashed her tail as she left the corridor of cells. Erza turned to the remaining mermaids.

“Well, lead us to where the lacrima is.” She locked eyes with Lolita who nodded in agreement.

“I’m assuming you’ll explain why you’re here on the way, right?”

“Whatever you want, but we gotta get out of here! Lucy’s counting on us!” Cana said, pushing Lolita forward. 

Now in two teams, the disguised pirates slowly made their way to the lacrima room. Each member as uncertain as the other. But with the sounds of their fellow Fairy Tail members still shooting cannons outside there is no room for hesitation. They needed to get Lucy back now!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the help of the mermaids Fairy Tail manages to save their captain and friend, Lucy. But at what price?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end for now of this old af pirate au i wrote once upon a time. But they'll be one more epilogue after this don't you worry!

Rizzy and Lolita led them away a few minutes after Aquarius and the others left. Swimming in smaller groups would be less likely to attract attention so when they finally made it to the lacrima room, they remained undetected. Erza met Wendy in the shadows and as quietly as possible addressed the scouting pirate. 

“Where are the others?” She asked.

“I told them to wait behind so I can tell them when it’s clear to come in. But these guards are everywhere we may just have to fight them.” Wendy answered. “What about the others following you?”

“Same story.” Erza looked over the room full of guards with placidity. Her lips were pulled taut as she determined how many guards they would have to take out and how to do it. “I think you’re right. There’s no way to destroy the lacrima while staying hidden.” Erza pulled her attention away from the room for a moment to tell Wendy the plan. “Go get the others and we’ll-”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Too late. “What are you doing here?! No one’s allowed in here without the Mistress!”

The guard who found them prodded them with a trident, his armor looked hard to penetrate, even for a set made out of coral and the tenacity in his eyes told her he wouldn’t accept just any old excuse for why they were here. 

Erza gritted her teeth and rapidly thought of solutions. Wendy dared not say a word. Only the purple haired mermaid had waited too long to answer. 

“If you won’t tell me why you’re here, then I’ll have to assume treason!” The guard moved forward a little, three other guards caught sight of him and came to help. 

Erza saw only one way out. “Change of plans!” She screamed at Wendy as she yanked her sword from it’s scabbard. The guards wasted no time engaging her in battle. 

The guards had thought four against one would be enough to beat the great Titania, but they were horribly mistaken. Erza took them down with no problem and in doing so she attracted the attention of any remaining guards in the area. 

One almost snuck it’s way behind Erza but Wendy was too fast with her dagger. She watched the grown man fall at her hand. 

“Thanks.” Erza said when she realized what happened. More guards were beginning to show up but the other pirates must have heard the commotion as well and soon the guards were the ones who were surrounded. 

Gajeel grinned evilly while cracking his knuckles. His sharkmen teeth did a good job at intimidating everyone in the room, even allies. Levy and Wendy fought back to back both armed with daggers. Juvia and Cana tag teamed a horde of guards with their spears flawlessly while Erza took on the Captain. Aquarius, Rizzy and Lolita hurried past the fighting to the lacrima that lay in the middle of the room. 

On a pale pedestal, raised up by small stairs, a hole in the ground held the lacrima in place. It was a little cracked after the spectacle at Manatee’s Bluff but now it glowed with a brilliant blue that hadn’t been seen for decades. 

“On three we’ll give it our strongest blast of magic!” Aquarius ordered. All three mermaids reeled back, readying their magic attacks. Aquarius looked to Rizzy and Lolita. Both dorned battle-ready but exhausted faces. They knew what would happen once the lacrima was destroyed, it wasn’t good for any of them. Yet they still looked resigned and ready to give their lives for Lucy. Aquarius wondered for a split second how she was blessed with such loyal companions. 

“Three!” Aquarius ended her count down, the mermaid’s hands glowed, a sphere of magic circling in their palms. The attacks would have hit their target except, seconds before impact, Aquarius was struck down.

A long staff hit her side, making her double over and shoot away from the lacrima. Aquarius looked up after she stopped spinning. The lacrima still stood untouched on it’s pedestal, Rizzy and Lolita couldn’t be seen. Aquarius noted the sound of a voice that shook the whole palace. 

“TRAITORS!” It screamed and an involuntary shiver went up Aquarius’s spine. “I SHALL DELIVER THINE DIVINE PUNISHMENT TENFOLD WHAT’S BEEN DONE TO ME!!!” 

Aquarius shrunk to the ground, raw terror making her eyes wide. “Oh no…” 

 

“YOU FOOLS THINK YOU CAN TRICK ME!” The entire palace shook, the lacrima room began to fall apart. Erza had to grab more than a few comrades to prevent them from being crushed by falling debris. That was most definitely the Mistress of the Seas. There was no doubt her voice was shaking the temple. The first thought running through Erza’s mind was the well-being of the remaining pirates on Fairy Tail. 

If the Mistress was here, what became of their friends? Was the ship destroyed? Did anyone survive? Another large stone sunk to the bottom and Erza had to swim the other way. The more debris that fell, the clearer it became where the Mistress’s voice was coming from. Floating above the crumbling ceiling, gleaming with the blue spirit of the sea itself, a familiar face looked down on them. Lucy’s blonde hair waved in front of the Mistress’s blue eyes, her face held a look of intense loathing. 

Nothing Erza had ever faced in her life could have prepared her for facing off against a goddess. In a way Erza hadn’t believed the Mistress could be this strong, perhaps because she never saw her at full power. Yet here she was, glowing with the literal light of the divines and raging with anger. She readied her sword for a fight, mentally preparing herself to engage this pissed off sea goddess. But the Mistress did not seem interested in her. Instead she descended through the water, stone from the palace ceiling still falling around her, and faced the two mermaids who shrunk to a fetal position in the corner. 

“Rizzy, Lolita.” Erza’s words came out scarcely more than a breath. She acted quickly swimming as fast as she could to intercept the Mistress, before she could harm the two mermaids that had proven to be friends of Fairy Tail. Erza would have made it but the Mistress seemed to have eyes everywhere as she turned around to give Erza a powerful kick to the stomach that sent her flying. 

The kick knocked her breath away, she landed right into Cana’s receiving arms. “I shall kill you worms first!” The Mistress’s anger made her words warp, as if they were traveling through a tunnel. She raised her hand, the blue of her eyes wrapped around her like a phantom, gathering in her palm and finally forming a spear shape. The light solidified so the Mistress now had a weapon at her disposal and something told Erza that wasn’t the only thing she could make out of thin air.

Rizzy looked terrified, her green eyes wider than plates while her whole body quivered. Lolita wasn’t any better off, with arms wrapped protectively around Rizzy she tried to look brave but the fear in her eyes was still plain to see. The Mistress reared her mighty spear and brought it down without another warning. 

“NOOOO!” Erza shouted involuntarily, falling around Cana while she tried to jump into action. 

Aquarius beat her to the punch though. Straight into her stomach with the end pointing out just enough for Rizzy to reach her hand up and touch it, the spear had dealt a killing blow to Aquarius. A cloud of golden liquid dissipated between the mermaids and their goddess. Erza had never seen a mermaid bleed, let alone the celestial water bearer herself, but this must have been what it was like. 

A horrible feeling wrenched itself in her gut, she felt the anger build from a fire deep within her chest. She unsheathed her other twin sword and came charging at the Mistress. 

“HOW DARE YOU HURT OUR FRIENDS! LUCY WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!” Erza moved with the speed of a bullet, zipping up to the Mistress who barely had enough time to parry the attack. Erza felt the fire guiding her, she let the anger channel itself from her chest, rushing to her head then out into her hands as she delivered blow after blow to the sea witch. 

Her antics gave the others enough time to react. “Quickly, we must destroy the lacrima!” Juvia shouted to the others who followed her suit. Most of the palace ceiling had sunk to the bottom by now, giving them a straight shot. Each pirate in disguise wielded their respective weapons and raced with every fiber of their being to the lacrima. 

As if it were practiced Juvia, Cana, Levy, Wendy, and Gajeel unloaded a vicious attack onto the rock that lay before them. The Mistress caught onto what they were doing but there was little she could do while locked in combat with the great Titania. The lacrima was struck and a flare of deep blue swallowed the room.

There was little to be heard but the shouts of the frightened, little to be seen but the brilliant flash of blue before them. The next thing Erza knew she could feel her own two feet again, her familiar red hair was back to normal and the water threatened to choke her. 

The blue faded to white then the white faded to nothing. On the pedestal where it was once worshiped sat the remains of the sea goddess’s trophy. Cracked into a dozen pieces and utterly useless, the lacrima had been destroyed. Erza looked around, she noticed Lucy first. Destroying the lacrima must have worked because the Mistress of the Seas was no longer trying to kill them, but Lucy wasn’t opening her eyes either. She floated there, beautiful blonde hair like a halo under water. 

Erza grabbed Lucy’s hand and was about to shoot up to the surface when someone else caught her eye. Rizzy and Lolita were bent over Aquarius’s lifeless body. It was hard to tell underwater but their cries of anguish were enough to reveal the tears they shed. Suddenly the three mermaids were surrounded by a golden glimmer. Inch by inch the glimmer was taking over their bodies. There was nothing Erza could do but watch as her friends disappeared while they were still mourning over the death of their leader. All at once her heart sank, her mind stopped working except to focus on the horror of the world. Her limbs stopped moving and she felt as if she had lost everything. 

Lucy’s hand brushed across her line of sight, but something was amiss. Her Fairy Tail mark was gone, completely erased from her skin. Lucy wasn’t where she should be. They were underwater and in danger of drowning, it was Erza’s responsibility to save her friends. Why was she failing?

Juvia had an unconscious Wendy in her arms and was kicking furiously to the surface, Gajeel did the same with Levy, and Cana stopped for a second to glance at Lucy and Erza. All of them, she noticed, were human again. _ I will not give up now! Not when my friends need me!  _ Erza vowed silently in her head. The words filled her with the adrenaline she needed to grab Lucy’s hand and swim up. 

The mermaid’s magic must have worn off when the lacrima was destroyed, it would explain their sudden transformation back into human under the water. _ Was that also why Rizzy, Lolita and Aquarius disappeared?  _ Erza wondered. The mermaids had certainly never shared the knowledge of what would happen to them if the lacrima was gone. Her mind raced as she kept swimming up and one thought hit her like an icy blast.  _ The mermaids never told us because they knew it was a suicide mission! Dammit, Erza why didn’t you see this coming?! _

The fresh air of the night cleared all thoughts from her mind. She filled her lungs with much needed oxygen, then finally thinking clearly, held Lucy’s head above water. Her friend had still not woken up. Luckily they weren’t too far away from shore, Erza even caught sight of Fairy Tail in the distance, every member on board waving their arms to the team who had just surfaced. 

It took all the strength she had left, but Erza made it to shore carrying Lucy the whole way. The other pirates crawled onto land with her, choking out mouthfuls of water all the while. Erza placed Lucy gently on the sand. Aside from her being unconscious she didn’t seem to have a scratch on her. She should have been relieved the pirates were safe again but something about Lucy’s still features made her blood run cold. 

“Lucy!” She called trying to shake the blonde awake. Suddenly she remembered what the mermaids had told her. 'Too much suppression could send her soul to the spirit world permanently...I don’t know how long Lucy has, as it is she’s probably halfway to the spirit world already.' Erza panicked. What if they’d been too late, what if Lucy was gone forever trapped in the spirit world? Had they failed to save the one person Natsu died trying to reach? “No.” She whispered, feeling the tears begin to sting her eyes. “Lucy…” A drop landed on Lucy's cheek but still the blonde didn’t stir. By now the other Fairy Tail members had gathered around to see Lucy, but Erza feared they may have failed. She lowered her head, unable to bear the sight of Lucy’s pale moonlit skin anymore. _ I’m sorry, Natsu. I know you would’ve wanted me to save her. It looks like I’ve failed you...I’m sorry...Lucy… _

“Lu-chan?” Levy’s voice called to her friend but there was no reply.

Gray tensed as he looked down upon her. “How could we have failed…” 

“This isn’t right!” Cana wailed, tears slurring her words and making her nose run. “She wasn’t supposed to die!” 

“We were too late…” Wendy claimed sadly, kneeling next to Lucy and placing a gentle hand on her forehead. 

Agonizing moments passed, moments where not one fairy dared to move. Erza thought she had begun imagining things, when she heard words come from the blonde’s mouth. She looked quickly to Lucy’s still face, but surely she had to be hallucinating. Were Lucy’s lips really moving? Was her friend alive?! 

Lucy gasped suddenly, her eyes blinking open, then came a loud; “Aquarius!” Lucy jolted upright. Erza had to catch her before she hurt herself by moving too fast. 

“Lucy! You’re alive!” Erza dove right in for a tight hug, maybe squeezing Lucy a little too hard but she couldn’t have cared less. It was as if a weight had been lifted and she was allowed to breathe again. Next for the hugs came Levy, and Cana, Wendy and Gray with Juvia while the rest of Fairy Tail roared in happiness. 

 

Lucy was bombarded with hugs, eventually she couldn’t breathe and she forced the bodies to give her a little space. “What happened?” Was the first question out of her mouth. Her crew fell unnervingly silent after that, something that was never a good sign in Lucy’s experience. Erza seemed to look at her in a way that questioned what she remembered. Lucy got silent for a moment and her brown eyes filled with darkness. “I saw Aquarius...but she was back in the celestial spirit world...and Natsu-” Lucy stopped herself short with a gasp. “Where’s Natsu!” 

More silence greeted her, only Gray had the stomach to speak up. “Lucy...You should come with me.” He extended his hand to her, which she took reluctantly. Gray led her and the rest of Fairy Tail back to the ship, where they boarded in silence. 

“Gray, what’s happened? Why are you all so quiet? And where’s Natsu?” 

Gray didn’t answer immediately. “Do you remember...the mermaids?” 

“Y-yes…”

Gray’s somber face lightened just a little. “And the Mistress of the Seas…?”

“Yes.”

He sighed and stopped walking right before the door to Natsu and Lucy’s old cabin. “When you resurrected her she possessed you and…”

“And what happened…” Lucy stared him down, determined to get some answers. “Gray! What did I do!?”

“It wasn’t you, Lucy! It was that damn sea witch, it’s not-”

“Gray!” Lucy cried his name, tears falling now. “Don’t scare me like this, just tell me what I did!” 

He closed his mouth, with a resigned look on he pushed open the door to their cabin. He didn’t say a word but let Lucy walk inside and see for herself. The cabin hadn’t even been touched since Lucy was kidnapped. Her book still lay on the desk, though askew and covered with ink from the toppled ink jar. The window was still broken with shards of glass all over. Her keys were on the floor by her bed, and her bed...perfectly made from all those weeks ago when Lucy last made it, free of clutter except for one scarf. One long, white threaded scarf. She picked it up turning to Gray with anguish in her eyes. His only response was eyes downcast.

Lucy hugged the scarf tight. It still smelled like him, like a warm bonfire on a cold summer night. She could still feel the warmth of his body through the fabric. She wrapped the scarf around her own neck and could just imagine in her minds eye, Natsu wearing it instead of her...Natsu standing here instead of her...the way it should have been. Natsu lives in her place. Fairy Tail needs him, how could he have disappeared. But he didn’t just disappear...With a horrible realization she turned, wide eyed, to Gray. 

“Natsu...The Mistress…”

Gray saw the thoughts forming in her head, he saw the blame and the guilt creeping into her expression. “Lucy, no it wasn’t-”

“She possessed me. I did it. I kill-”

“No! None of us think that-”

“Gray!” She shouted, her words getting louder and her voice cracking with every pause. “I killed him!” 

“Luc-” Before Gray could protest her thoughts she barreled herself into his chest, clinging tight to his jacket. 

She wailed until her throat ran dry. Unable to stop the tears from falling and unable to keep a firm footing on the ground so she dragged Gray to the floor with her. There they sat for many an hour, with Lucy burrowed into his chest. There was little to do but wrap his arms around her. 

Gray could do nothing but provide her with fake comfort. The comfort she really needed was the one of her betrothed. She needed Natsu’s arms around her now, not his. The only one who could heal her now was Natsu, yet here he was. With her crying in his arms...it was going to be a long night.


	9. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet endings to tidy things up after that angst ride

The quill hit the desk with a small  _ clink _ . She had just finished her daily letter to Natsu, writing to a dead man may not stop the pain of losing him but it sure eases the longing. She looked over the work she’d done; 

_ Natsu, _

_ I finally finished that book I’d been working on for so long. I’m not so sure about the ending but Levy seemed more than happy reading it. Maybe one day I can get it published. Though I highly doubt there are any publishers looking to partner with a Pirate Master. Do you think there will ever be a day when Fairy Tail retires? Gods know we’ve looted enough treasure to stay holed up for years. Maybe then we can repent our reputation with the King. But you never thought about that kinda stuff did you? For as long as I’ve known you, you always looked to the future with the kind of bravery and oblivion that would make most men weak. In a way it’s what I always admired about you. I remember I used to look forward to our future together, I guess now we can’t have one...But I won’t give up. You taught me that, Natsu. Fairy Tail never gives up and I won’t either. Everyone else moved on so I can’t be the last one to catch up. After all I have a crew to look after. Speaking of which Erza’s been a big help as a Co-Master. Thanks to her Fairy Tail has gotten back on it’s feet. But it still isn’t the same without you. _

_ I miss you, until we meet again _

_ Love, Lucy. _

She cracked her knuckles, man they desperately needed that. She stood up and opened the port window. She breathed in the air, grateful of the early morning sea air. She would never get sick of that, the smell of the harbor in the morning lifted her energy never failing to leave her lively for the rest of the day. Lucy breathed out deeply,  _ Let’s get this day started _ . 

She walked to the mirror and fixed her hair into a ponytail. “Alright! I’m gonna do my best today, too!” 

She stepped out of her cabin marking off territories that were rumored to have gold. Her thoughts were broken when Cana’s words roared with excitement. 

“Thats it, kid! Man she’s a natural!” She reared her head back in laughter, much to the delight of Wendy, who blushed slightly under her compliments. While Cana laughed she took a large swig from her mug. 

“Cana, isn’t it a little early to be drinking?”

“You know what they say, it’s five o’clock somewhere!” She laughed again and took another drink. Lucy put her map away and bent over to look at the mess of cards displayed between Cana and Wendy. 

“What are you doing, anyway?”

Wendy spoke up first, “Cana’s teaching me all about her tarot cards! Combined with the spirit magic I learned from Rizzy this will be really useful!”

“Hmm, yeah? And how so?”

Wendy took a moment to glance at the cards, obviously deep in thought. “Well, if I do it right I should be able to create a successful spirit circle.”

Lucy almost flinched when the words came out of her mouth. “A spirit circle?” She raised an eyebrow at Cana, not at all convinced this ‘spirit circle’ would be a good thing to teach a young impressionable girl. 

“Relax!” Cana shouted. “They aren’t dangerous,” She looked away and added under her breath, “if you do it right.” 

“What would you do with a spirit circle anyway?”  

Wendy turned to Lucy with an innocent look, “Well, I know you miss Natsu a lot, and it would be nice to see the mermaids again…”

Lucy paled. She may have been moving on but she wasn’t prepared for that news.  _ Seeing Natsu again… _ In hindsight that should have sounded like a blessing but Lucy couldn’t help the chill that spread over her stomach at the thought. After reading so many horror books she was convinced that speaking the dead normally didn’t end well. 

She sighed. “Wen...I don’t think the mermaids are in the spirit world…” She hated to rain on the kids parade but persuading her out of this might be for the best.

Wendy’s eyes found the floor. “...Then where did they go?” 

“Lighten up, Lucy.” Gray came up to her placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s at least worth a try right? Besides I got a few choice words for that flamebrain!” Gray gave her a big smile. For once it filled her with hope of seeing Natsu again.

She let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. “Maybe just once…” The way Wendy’s face lit up lessened the pain in Lucy’s heart, just a little. 

The spirit circle was set up after a few hours and Lucy could not have been more nervous. A pentagram with a star in it surrounded on all five points by burning candles, while Wendy sat in the middle with a bowl filled with some sort of weed and a suspiciously red liquid. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“C’mon, girly you already agreed to let Wendy try it out.” Cana said and pushed the blonde forward a little bit. Many of her crew were lined up waiting for her to step into the circle. 

Wendy stood up, “Okay, Lucy. It’s all set. If you sit across from me I can get started.” She smiled sweetly and somehow it only made Lucy sweat more.

Cana started to push her more when she didn’t move, “Whoa, whoa-wait. How exactly is this gonna go?”

“You step inside and Wen here will start burning the incense. That, combined with my tarot cards, is supposed to attract the spirit.”

Lucy swallowed.  _ Well, what do I really have to lose? _ She hoped she wouldn’t regret that thought later, as she stepped into the spirit circle. 

She sat down beside Wendy and they clasped hands. “You’re sure you can do this?”

Wendy nodded enthusiastically. She’d done a lot of growing up since they all lost Natsu. Lucy had no doubt in her abilities as a pirate, now she had to learn to trust her on this. Wendy started a fire in the bowl, closed her eyes then informed Lucy to do the same, “Close your eyes and picture the spirit you want to contact in your mind.” 

Breathing out deeply she forced herself to look up Natsu’s face, suddenly the scarf she wore on her neck was a lot warmer. She could almost feel his warmth coming from it, the scent from the incense shifted to something warmer...something more familiar. 

“Natsu…” She spoke involuntarily. Her eyes were closed but a figure began to come into view. There was nothing, no scenery, no ground just a false horizon on which the figure walked. Coming closer and closer to her. She recognized that pink hair a mile away, her gut tore her apart. She wanted to run to him, to hug him and scold him for leaving her for so long. But a part of her felt like none of this was real. That part of her stood still until he was face to face with her, lifting a hand to stroke her hair, confirming that he was real.

“Hey, Luce.” He said. “Where ya been? I missed you!”

Her hand wiped away a tear drop and she hiccuped a little, “You i-idiot...I-”

“I got your letters.” She stared at him, looking at his impossibly brown eyes. “By the way, there's buttload of gold hidden in Robber’s Gorge, sounds like another adventure for Fairy Tail, eh?”

“Idiot!” She half-screamed and punched his arm, tears falling freely now. “I don’t care about that!” When her punch passed through his arm she felt her heart sink. Natsu wasn’t really here, he was no more than a ghost. Was she even able to feel his presence against her skin? “I miss you…”

Natsu’s face turned somber. He lifted a ghost hand to her chin and although she couldn’t feel his touch her head moved up to face his as if it were forced. He didn’t say anything but moved his head down to her lips. His scent enveloped her, wrapping around her neck and tickling her spine. Their lips touched but she couldn’t feel it, she sensed it in her soul. 

But as soon as the kiss started, it was gone. He pulled away, a little too early, sadness filling his eyes. “I don’t want you to go!” She knew that look, she hated it. 

Natsu perked up almost instantly, giving her a face-splitting grin. “Don’t worry about that, Luce. Cuz I’ll be in the stars.” She gave him a quizzical look and he pounded his chest proudly. “I got my own honorary place beside Aquarius! Make sure to look out for me, and I’ll look out for you. Okay?” 

Lucy didn’t respond for a while, “...Okay.”

Suddenly Lucy was flung back into reality, the reality without Natsu. She opened her eyes, startled. Wendy sat across from her panting with excitement, her eyes wide and bright. Lucy tore her hands away from Wendy’s and they instinctively pulled her scarf up above her mouth. It smelled like Natsu. That scarf had stopped smelling like him years ago but that scent was unmistakable, she’d never forget it for the rest of her life. 

“Well?” Gray asked, noticing the glint in Lucy’s eye. 

“What’d ya see?” Gajeel inquired. 

“Natsu…” Lucy answered. “I saw Natsu."

“I saw Grandeeny!” Wendy panted, a huge smile plastered itself on her face. “I saw Mom!” 

“Does that spirit circle work with three people?” Gajeel asked, suddenly interested. 

Lucy stood up, “Knock yourself out.” She said flatly, then quickly walked out of the room. 

The wind greeted her, blowing her hair back as she stepped outside. She walked to the bow of the ship. Lucy had been charting the stars for her whole life, Lucky for her Aquarius constellation was best viewed in the fall, she made a mental note to go out tonight and stargaze. But the scent coming from his scarf told her she might not need to.


End file.
